Beauty and the beast
by Queenbeth2
Summary: AU.Prince Edward finds himself in a small town with no memory of who he is or where he came from. He finds Bella, who takes him in But as his memories slowly start to return he has to ultimately choose between the life he was born for and the one he wants
1. Chapter 1

DC: I don't own it

Summary: AU. Crowned prince Edward finds himself in a small town with no memory of who he is or where he came from. He finds Bella, a sweet half vampire girl and she brings him into her home. But as his memories slowly start to return he has to ultimately choose between the life he was born for, and the one he desires.

The vampires in this story are like the ones in Vampire Heart. They are born not created. They have control over their thirst for human blood for the most part.

Chapter 1,

Edward sighed yet again and got the attention of his servants. They perked up, ready for any instruction he may give. He dismissed them with a lazy wave of his hand and went back to looking out the window. It was a beautiful sunny day and his skin was glittering dully. He ran a hand through his perfect bronze hair and stretched. Not that he needed to but it was habit. He stood and leaned on the sill. He saw children playing in the street, their skins like diamonds. Their parents were watching nearby and when they strayed too far their father would go out and usher them back.

He heard a soft knock on the door and turned slightly. The shy servant girl bowed and brought a glass of blood to him.

"Excuse me, sir, but will you be requiring anything else?" she asked in a small and quiet tone.

"No," Edward said after he took a sip.

She nodded and left quickly. Well as quickly as a human could leave without falling over herself. Edward sipped the blood and watched the view from his window.

"Edward are you sulking again?"

Edward looked over and saw his uncle, Aro, walking in.

"I wasn't sulking, I was pondering whilst in an unhappy mood."

"Well whatever you're doing could you wrap it up? Your attire for your coronation has arrived."

"Joy of joys the world may continue to spin," Edward sighed as he set his glass on a polished wooden table.

"You can cut the attitude," Aro scolded, "just be grateful that I am here to help you."

Edward rolled his eyes. He had heard that line far too many times. His uncle believed that it was only out of the goodness of his own heart that the throne was being kept safe for his nephew. Edward believed otherwise. He knew that his uncle enjoyed ruling in his brother's place and wasn't anxious in the least about his nephew's coronation.

"Now stop being so stubborn and come with me. Everything has to go perfectly. A perfect coronation means a long and healthy rule."

"Not really," Edward sighed.

"Not really? Well then was it simple a coincidence that my dear brother had several mishaps in his coronation and his rule failed?"

"He didn't fail," Edward defended, "dying and failing isn't the same thing."

Aro sniffed and muttered his disagreement but Edward chose to ignore him. He was quite defensive of his father. He paused as they passed through the hall of portraits. He looked at the painting of his parents. Edward the seventh and Elizabeth. He touched the painted skirt as if he would be able to feel the soft fabric. That's what he missed most about his mother. He missed her tenderness. He remembered sitting in her lap as they read a story and she stroked his hair and forehead.

Childbirth took both the queen and her unborn prince. Edward remembered the pain and devastation in his father's eyes when it happened. He was nine at the time and didn't know much about life and death. His father had carried on of course. After a year he didn't cry as much anymore though he still longed for his wife. He had become much more protective of his living son. Edward noticed that he was often accompanied by a guard wherever he went and constantly protected.

He had been so distracted with his own life at the age of thirteen that he didn't notice the change in his father. It was small things at first. The king would retire to his bedroom and sleep for a few hours and he drank less blood. Before Edward knew it his dear father didn't rise in the morning. He slept constantly as if he were and old man instead of a young king. Edward remembered sitting in bed with his father, begging him to get better. He held the big hand in his smaller ones and begged over and over again. His father's hands were as warm as a human's. His pupils were ringed with white, the final stage of one of the few infections strong enough to kill a healthy adult vampire. After the death of the king, his brother, Aro, took the throne. Edward was left in his care with the promise that when he was of age he would become king.

"Edward please don't dally around!"

Edward looked away from the portrait and nodded. He followed silently.

---

The sun was peeking through the curtains and hitting Bella square in the eye. She moaned and turned over, pulling her blankets up over her head. She knew that any minute her dad would wake her up for breakfast. The thought had barely crossed her mind before she heard his gentle voice floating up the stairs.

"Wake up sleeping beauty."

Bella clutched her stuffed panda tighter to her chest and moaned. She felt a cool hand on her forehead and she turned. She saw a pair of pale red eyes and a gentle smile under blonde hair.

"Wake up sleepy head."

Bella smiled weakly. "I don't wanna."

His gentle cool hand brushed over her hair and then pulled the blankets off.

"Da-ad! I'm not wearing any pants!" Bella cried sitting up sharply.

"Oh relax I used to have to bathe you," her dad laughed. "Now I'm going to make you some breakfast and you will be down to eat it in a few minutes."

Bella sighed and nodded. After her father left she stood and stretched. She pulled on her sweats and put on a clean shirt. She padded down the stairs and smiled when a calico cat rubbed up against her leg. She smiled and bent down to pick her up.

"Cali has come to visit," she said.

"I smelled her earlier," her dad said from the kitchen.

"I think daddy has a treat for you," Bella cooed into the cat's soft fur. She walked into the kitchen. She smiled at her dad as he cooked her eggs for breakfast. She didn't know very many vampires that could cook. There was a bowl of cat food waiting on the counter. Bella walked over and set Cali down. The cat purred and nuzzled against her dad's leg to show her thanks. Bella smiled when he reached down and gathered the cat up for a nice scratch.

In Bella's opinion there was no better vampire than Carlisle. He nuzzled the cat affectionately and she purred and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Cali wasn't officially theirs. She was a stray that they had found and nursed back to health. She preferred life on the outside but she was a frequent visitor. She knew that every time she came by she would get a snack of sorts from them.

"Do you want some breakfast too?" Carlisle asked with a smile as he scratched the cat's head. Cali meowed and purred. Carlisle set her down and she went to enjoy her meal. Bella hopped up and sat on the counter top while Carlisle cooked. "You know I don't like it when you do that."

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," Bella said with a shrug.

"Remember when you were nine and you fell off? Do you remember how loudly you cried?"

Bella scowled at him, earning a laugh. She hopped down anyway and Carlisle handed her the plate of eggs. She set it on the table and grabbed a glass of milk. Carlisle sat down with a bowl of blood and they began breakfast.

Their routine was simple. Bella would wake up and eat breakfast. On weekdays she would go to school and on the weekends she would stay around and help with whatever Carlisle needed. On that Saturday after breakfast they went into the yard. Cali followed and stretched out on the patio in the sunlight. Bella sat with her and gave her a scratch. Carlisle knelt by his garden and tended to the flowers.

"They're pretty this year," Bella said.

"Yes, we've gotten just the right amount of rain," Carlisle said with a smile. He pulled weeds from the flowers and made sure they were secure in the ground. Bella smiled when he shifted to a special patch in the middle of his garden. It was a circle of lilies that he kept just for her.

"You plant those every year," Bella giggled.

"Because they are special every year," Carlisle said with a smile, "but you know why I plant them."

"Because they're my favorite."

Carlisle nodded and went back to working on them. Bella knew the flowers had a different meaning. It was ten years ago when Carlisle had come out when he heard crying over the rain. He had gone into the garden to find Bella there. She was curled up wearing grimy clothing. She was hugging her knees and crying. Carlisle had picked her up and saw the blood on her face and bruises on her body. He carried her inside and wrapped her in a warm blanket.

"Sometimes I wonder why you chose me," Carlisle said as he brushed dirt off of his hands. "Of all the houses in the town you chose mine. A vampire. I don't know why you felt you would be safer with me."

"Because you're different," Bella said with a warm and gentle smile, "dad you're not like those other vampires."

"No I am," Carlisle said sitting on the warm cement with her. His skin sparkled in the sunlight. "I just chose differently. Just like Esme down the street."

Bella laid back and looked up at the crystal blue sky.

"How long will the fighting keep going?" she asked.

"I don't know," Carlisle said honestly.

Bella never knew a time of complete peace. There was always war between the humans and the vampires. With their superior natural strength the vampires believed that conquering the humans would be no problem. However advanced technology helped the humans hold their own and the two sides had been in a constant stalemate.

"Why did you leave the city dad?" Bella asked.

"That was so long ago," Carlisle sighed closing his eyes and taking in the warmth of the sunlight. "I got so sick of all the politics that came with living in the city. I was expected to hate people I never met. I was just barely older than you when I found this place. It's a paradise."

Bella nodded in agreement. They lived in a small town of about five hundred people. It was a place where humans and vampires lived in peace. Most of them, like Carlisle, appeared seeking a refuge from the war and the politics. Fights broke out from time to time in the form of bar scuffles.

"What's on your mind Bells?" Carlisle asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that frown you've got," he laughed.

"Thinking," Bella said into her knees.

"What about?"

"Life I guess," she sighed. She stood and stretched. "It's just unusual for me, that's all."

Carlisle stood and patted her head. "Tell you what, why don't you go into town and get Cali a treat. I'm sure she'd like to go with you."

Bella nodded and knelt down. The cat came up and purred. Bella lifted her up and walked out of the yard with the cat on her shoulder.

---

Edward got out of the car to stretch. He hated countryside tours, especially when he was all alone. It was just him and his security guard.

"Don't go to far!"

Edward rolled his eyes and strolled off of the road into the woods. He liked the trees and the way the wind felt on his skin. He closed his eyes and tilted his head up. The birds above him flew away. The coronation gown fit and the crown fit too. Everything was going to be perfectly fit to Aro's vision.

"Are you excited about the coronation?" his body guard, Alec, asked.

"I suppose," Edward sighed, "I mean why wouldn't I be excited about parading around like Aro's trained puppy."

"But surely you want to be king?"

Edward looked up at the sky again. Did he want to be king? Of course he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and take hold of the kingdom. He wanted to change things for the better and to end the silly war with the humans. But being king meant he would have to take a queen, and his current choice wasn't exactly ideal.

"I suppose," he said finally.

"I hear your uncle wants to build another Warehouse here," Alec said.

"When did he say that?" Edward asked looking back. "I didn't know of any construction plans outside of a new fort."

"Well we don't want those half breeds getting out of control," Alec laughed.

"Indeed," Edward sighed. He wanted to end the conversation. Talking about the Warehouses was like talking about old ladies having sex. Nobody wanted to hear about it or picture it. It was one of those things that just happened. He very rarely wanted to admit that his uncle had a part of the development of such places.

"Your uncle worries about when you will be king," Alec commented.

Edward glanced back slightly annoyed. "Whatever my uncle thinks about me and my becoming king is none of your concern, Alec so I think it's best that you keep your thoughts to yourself."

"See you need to start worrying about my thoughts," Alec said with a grin. Edward turned and he was struck hard over the head.

---

Bella stretched out and laid back in the soft grass of her favorite meadow. Cali had left to do her own things by then. She curled up on her side and sighed. The smell of the meadow was always comforting to her. The grass was long and it brushed against her skin in the wind. She could smell the fresh wild flowers that dotted the wild grass. Nearby a stream bubbled and Bella wondered when she and her father would go exploring it again. It was their monthly ritual when the warm weather hit and she was excited to go again.

Bella could picture it. They would start at the edge of the woods and explore the stream, looking at the creatures that lived there and looking for anything that suited them. Then they would go into the woods and explore the trees and the earth. Maybe this year she would ask Esme to join them.

Her thoughts were broken when she heard stumbling footsteps. She sat up and saw someone coming out of the woods. It was a boy by the look of him and he looked hurt. Bella jumped to her feet and ran to him.

"Oh my god are you okay?" she asked. He stumbled again and she put her hands on his shoulder to stable him.

"Where am I?" he asked as he put a hand to his head. He pulled it away and saw pale pink blood on his hands. "I'm bleeding?"

"Yes, quite a bit actually," Bella said digging into her pocket for a tissue. It wasn't much but she could at least clean the blood from his eye. He had a massive gash on his forehead that she knew should get medical attention. "What's you name?"

"My name?" he asked. "Oh...right...Ed-Edward."

"I'm Bella," she said. "What brings you all the way out here?"

"I'm not quite sure," Edward said putting his hand on the back of his neck and pulling it back with more blood. He took a step and stumbled right into the stream. Bella jumped and rushed into the shallow water to help him.

"You're disoriented, even for a vampire," she said as she helped him stand, "come on, I'll take you to my dad. I just wish I had something to tie your wounds off with for the time being."

"You can use this," he said tugging lightly on his shirt, "it's pretty much ruined anyway...somehow."

Bella nodded and he shrugged out of what was one probably a nice button up shirt. She tore strips from it and wrapped it around his head, neck and upper arm. Then she pulled his good arm over her shoulders and helped him walk.

"So what is this place?" Edward asked as they made their way towards town.

"Rosebud," she said, "I know it's a cheesy name but it's home. It's more or less a sanctuary for refugees from the war."

"War? What war?"

"Have you been living under a rock or something? It's an ongoing war between the vampires and the humans. Anyway there are some people who object to the war, like my dad, and have moved out here. Some have no choice. Then there's me."

"What about you?" Edward asked.

"This is the only place I could feel safe. Being what I am...I don't belong to either side."

Edward looked at her. Now that he thought about it her skin was warmer than his and her eyes were deep brown. But she was strong enough to practically carry him, and fast too.

"You are both."

Bella nodded and they finished the walk in silence.

---

"So I send you to get a treat for Cali and you come home with a vampire?" Carlisle said with an amused grin.

"I was going to go nap in the meadow but he stumbled in on me. Can you treat him?"

Carlisle nodded and led Edward into the kitchen. He sat him down and grabbed a first aid kit. "If you were Bells I'd have to stitch you up, but I think these will heal fine. I'm going to clean them though."

Edward nodded and Carlisle pulled out a bottle of medicine. Bella didn't know what it was because he never used it on her, but rather on his vampire patients. She knew it was some kind of rubbing alcohol that burned her skin. Edward didn't seem phased by it. Carlisle took care in cleaning his wounds and Bella saw that they were already healing.

"You have a very deep wound here," he said pointing to a part of his own head to demonstrate. "Which may have caused some mental damage. Do you know who you are?"

"Edward...just Edward."

"Do you know where you're from?" Carlisle asked.

"No...I can't remember...anything."

"Amnesia," Carlisle diagnosed as he continued to examine Edward's head, "hopefully it's temporary."

"Hopefully," Edward agreed quietly.

Carlisle looked him over again. He paused and studied the younger man's face. His eyes were dark red and deep. He looked confused and disoriented. But there was something familiar about him. About the shape of his nose and lips. His bronze hair was matted with blood and had leaves in it. His chest had some scratches but that was about it. He must have been through quite an ordeal to have damaged so much of his vampire skin.

The doorbell rang and Bella went to answer it.

"Oh, hey Esme," Bella said happily.

"Hi Bella, is Carlisle available?"

"He's with a patient," Bella said looking back, "do you need something?"

"Oh, I just made some crimson cake and I wanted to give you both some," Esme said with a smile, "Goodness knows you two need a treat every once in a while."

Bella laughed and nodded. "You take such good care of us Esme."

Esme smiled. Bella was always in awe over her beauty. Long wavy caramel hair and a soft heart shaped face with a bright and warm smile. How she was still single Bella would never know. She was sure that any sane man would sweep her away at the first chance.

"Your hair is getting long again," Esme said tucking some behind her ear, "are you going to cut it again or let it grow out?"

"I haven't decided," Bella said looking at her hair. "I have split ends."

"Ah who has time to keep those away?" Esme asked with a soft laugh. "I could cut them for you if you'd like."

"That would be great!" Bella cried happily.

"Do you have time this afternoon?" Esme asked.

"Absolutely. Do you have time now?"

Esme nodded and came in at Bella's invite. She went into the bathroom with Bella and sat on the toilet while Bella got the scissors and a spray bottle. She sat on the rug and Esme ran her fingertips trough her hair, testing for tangles.

"Bella?"

Bella looked up as Esme was spraying her hair with water. Edward looked at her nervously.

"Hey! Come on in, have a seat!"

Edward came in and sat on the rim of the tub.

"Esme this is Edward," Bella said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Esme said with her usual smile. "Are you new around here?"

"Um...yeah...listen Bella, I wanted to thank you for helping me."

"It's no problem," Bella assured him, "so how do you feel?"

"Better. Your dad said I can stay here. You both have been so nice."

"Well looks like it's a party," Carlisle said joyfully. "Ah, Esme, I didn't expect you."

"Yes well I figured that why I'm here I should trim Bella's hair."

"Yes she does need it."

"Aw thanks a ton dad," Bella moaned.

"Don't worry I think you're pretty," Carlisle said with a playful smile. "Anyway Jodie down the way wants me to take a look at her daughter. Will you be okay alone?"

"I'm seventeen, dad, more than old enough to care for myself."

Carlisle raised his eyebrows then looked at Edward. "Please keep her out of trouble."

"Sure," Edward mumbled. Bella looked offended and Esme giggled.

"I brought you some cake Carlisle, I put it in the dining room."

"Ah Esme you are too good to us," Carlisle sighed happily, "your cake is a dream! If only I could make blood into solid delicious foods."

"It's nothing really," Esme said as she snipped some of Bella's hair, "I'll have to teach you someday."

Carlisle nodded. "I'll see that you do. But for now I must leave."

"Alright, bye Carlisle."

"Bye dad!"

Carlisle waved and left. Bella sighed and looked at Edward.

"One day he'll have to stop treating me like a baby."

"Oh I'm sure he will," Esme said as she trimmed more hair, "he cares about you very much."

"He cares about you too," Bella told her.

"He is a dear friend," Esme said quickly, closing the subject abruptly.

---

"She was friendly," Edward said as they walked down the street.

"Oh Esme? Yeah, she's a sweetheart," Bella agreed, "I've known her since I came here."

"Did you and your father move here?" Edward asked.

"I don't remember coming here," Bella said looking up at the clear golden sky. "I just ran towards what felt safe. That was Carlisle. He nursed me back to health and let me stay with him. He has never really adopted me, but I started to call him dad after a while. After I learned to speak properly."

"What happened to your real parents?" Edward asked quietly.

Bella was silent for a moment. She could only guess where her real parents were. She had never met her father but she could only assume that he was living in the city with the other vampires. As for her mother...she remembered her.

"I don't care," she mumbled. "Carlisle is my dad now and that's all I care about."

"He's a good man. I can't thank you both enough for helping me."

Bella smiled at him. "That's how dad is," she said happily, "he's kind, warm and always wanting to help. Well...not literally warm but you know what I mean."

Edward laughed and nodded. "So you're not a human or a vampire."

"No I'm both. Mom was human and dad was a vamp."

"They both live together in this town," Edward said as they got to the store. A bell chimed as they walked in.

"Hey there Bells," a vampire said from behind the counter.

"Hey there Greg!" Bella said back.

"So who is your friend?"

"This is Edward, he's going to stay with us for a while."

Edward looked nervously around the store. He saw a vampire looking at a cooler of blood and across the way he saw a human looking at the price of produce. A human child was tugging on the hand of a vampire child, trying to drag them away from the blood candies.

"That's what I love the most about this place," Bella said, noticing where he was looking. "Nobody cares what you are."

"Should they?" Edward asked as he followed her down an aisle with lots of bread and tortillas. Bella didn't answer him and pretended to be distracted by the products on the shelves. Edward found the answer in her silence. Whatever the war was about, it meant that the two species were separated and they very much cared about what each person was.

"Here, in this small town, it's like a separate world," Bella said picking up a loaf of bread. "We don't get very much news from the cities. We're closer to the human city so if we get news its from there. That's how we'll know when there is peace again."

Edward walked with her through the aisles and helped her carry the groceries. He had only been in the town for less than a day, but already he loved the quiet feel and the peace. He offered to carry Bella's groceries after they paid and she agreed to let him carry half. By then the sun had fallen, leaving the sky above a beautiful velvet purple with a rich array of stars.

"So beautiful," Edward murmured as he looked up.

"Tomorrow night is supposed to be clear too. Dad and I were planning on going stargazing, do you want to come with us?"

"I'd love to!"

"Hey you two, just getting back from the market?" Carlisle asked as he turned onto the block.

"Mmhm, and we picked up that science magazine you love so much," Bella said reaching into her bag to hand it to him.

"Ah! Wonderful! That saves me a trip! Thank you sweetheart."

Edward watched as Carlisle beamed at his daughter and gave her shoulders and affectionate squeeze. He began to wonder if he had a father like that. Thinking about that made him feel a bit sad, but he wasn't going to let them know something was wrong. So he put on a smile and laughed along with them until he was alone for the night.

TBC

I don't know how this story is going to work out but I am optimistic. The story is kinda complicated, especially later on when it gets more into the war.


	2. Chapter 2

DC: I don't own it

Thank you to my reviewers.

For this story none of the vampires have special powers. Edward just as an uncanny ability to read people but he can't read their minds.

I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update! I found this story when I was sifting through my great writing file along with several others. Woot.

Chapter 2,

Bella laid awake gazing at the moon. She could hear Carlisle and Edward talking quietly. She could barely make out what they were saying so she figured it was about her. But it didn't matter really. She turned and laid on her side. She slept by a large window that faced the countryside. On some nights she would lay awake and look at the woods bathed in the moonlight and think about things. On that night her thoughts wandered once again to her parents, or what little she could remember of them anyway.

She remembered that her mother was beautiful for a human. She was nowhere near the strange beauty of the vampires, but she was attractive. From what Bella knew, her mother had been taken in a raid on her town when she was little and she had grown up as a servant to a wealthy vampire family. It was the son of her master that one night impregnated her.

To this day Bella was never sure if she was the result of a union of love or lust. If she had grown up surrounded by humans she probably would have assumed it was lust. But she had grown up around vampires in her early life and then a splendid mix in her later life. She wanted to think that she was made with love. It brought her at least a little peace.

As a rule she generally avoided thinking about her human mother. Carlisle encouraged it, saying that bottling up the emotions was worse than the few moments of thinking about it. It had been ten years since she last saw the woman, but the sting of the memory was still strong and fresh.

_"My life would have been so much simpler if you had never been born!"_

Bella winced and curled up. She heard Edward's footsteps coming up to the spare bedroom and the door shut quietly.

"Bella."

Carlisle's voice floated up the stairs as soft as a cloud. She heard his footsteps and then he was sitting on her bed.

"You're crying," he murmured brushing some of her tears away.

"It's nothing," Bella mumbled wiping her eyes. Carlisle stroked her hair and waited. He let her cry herself out and when she did she finally spoke again. "I hate them both."

"I know you do," Carlisle whispered gently as he pet her hair, "but on the brighter side, your mother doing what she did was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. To both of us. You deserve this life here. You deserve to be loved and taken care of in a place where people don't care about what you are but who you are."

"I know all that," Bella sighed sitting up, "but it still doesn't make the pain go away when I remember how she looked at me and told me that I should have never been born. The hurt in her eyes was so deep."

Carlisle kissed her forehead. "If I could make you forget, I would."

"I love you daddy," she sighed. Carlisle patted her head gently and tucked her in.

"I love you too Bells."

---

The following afternoon found Carlisle in emergency surgery after a couple of vampires got into a fight. Edward and Bella were left at home with not really much to do.

"Did you sleep well?" Edward asked.

"Eventually," Bella sighed as she stretched out on the floor.

"I heard you crying."

"You heard that huh," she mumbled sitting up. "I don't exactly have a happy past. Sometimes I think about it without wanting to. I just wish I could forget about it."

"I think I probably said that before," Edward said, "I think everybody has."

"It's not even just forgetting everything. My life wasn't great with my mother."

"What was she like?"

"A human," Bella said. She looked down at her hands and started picking at her nails. "She was a servant in a vampire household. She got pregnant with one of her masters and had me. Shortly after becoming pregnant she was sent away. She gave birth to me. I remember being traded a lot. Finally we were released when we didn't have any use. We lived in a ghetto for a while on the edge of the vampire city. Finally we made our way out here. Mom lost it one night. She was so tired of me. She made it a point to make sure I knew how unwanted I was."

"That's horrible. Why would someone say something like that to their own child?"

"Who knows," Bella sighed with a shrug, "our last night together it was pouring down rain..."

_"Mom please I can't keep up!" Bella cried as her mother dragged her along. "I'm so cold!"_

_"Oh shut up!"_

_"Mom...!" Bella cut off when her small feet slipped on mud and she fell to the ground. She tried to stand again but fell back down. Her mother grabbed her arm and yanked her up._

_"You have always slowed me down!" Her mother cried angrily. Her deep brown eyes blazed with anger and hatred. "You are the biggest mistake of my life! Do you understand that?!"_

_Bella winced as her mother gripped both of her arms tight. "My life would have been so much simpler if you had never been born!"_

_There was a tension between the two that mixed with the sound of pouring rain and thunder._

_"Mom...I love you mom..."_

_"You ruined my life!" her mother cried. "For the past eight years I have been burdened with you! Always having to care for you and for what? So you can have his face?! So you can remind me of how you made your father get rid of me! You are such a wicked child!"_

_"Mommy..."_

_"I can't take it anymore! Take his face and never show it to me again!"_

_Her mother pushed her violently away. Bella's little feet stumbled and slipped in the mud and wet grass. She lost her footing and tumbled back down the hill. Somewhere along the way she had knocked herself out. When she woke it was still raining but it was dark. Crying, Bella pulled herself to her feet, wincing when her weight hit what was almost certainly a broken ankle. She hobbled towards the small cluster of lights just across the field._

_The houses were quiet. One had lights on. She saw a man with golden hair reading a book in the light of a small lamp. She felt warmth at the sight of his gentle face. She had to get to him. She tried to move faster but her little body was exhausted. The vampire in her kept her strength but the human from her mother was weak and worn. Finally she collapsed in the garden. Feeling weak and helpless she curled up and cried into her knees. Moments later she heard the man's voice asking who was out there. She tightened her legs against her body. His icy arms wrapped around her. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting pain, but he cradled her against his stone chest._

_"You're frozen little one," he murmured as he carried her inside. "Let's get you cleaned up."_

_Bella looked at him. He smiled at her._

_"Don't worry, I'll take care of you."_

"...I had slipped in the mud. She told me she didn't want me. Then I found Carlisle."

Edward knew from her hesitation and distant look that so much more had happened. But if she wasn't going to tell him he wasn't going to push her.

"So this town is like a refugee camp or something?"

"Sort of. It's been wonderful living here, I get to see each perspective."

Edward had to agree. There was something nice about watching a vampire child and a human child playing together as best friends. He saw out the window two children walking together. One of them was glittering brightly in the sunlight but that didn't stop his animated talking to his human companion.

"We're so cut off from the city," Bella said with a small smile, "I couldn't tell you one thing that's going on in politics."

"Like who the president is?"

"I know Aro is still king," Bella answered, "I think he has a nephew that's going to take over or something. They don't care about this place and we don't care about them."

Edward smiled slightly and Bella turned on the television. She flipped through the channels until settling on a silly cartoon show. Edward watched with interest as the stars, a cat and a mouse, chased each other around. It was pure slapstick and it was hilarious. It seemed familiar. Maybe he had watched it before.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked. "Don't you like Tom and Jerry?"

"I was just thinking," Edward said quietly, "I think I've seen this before."

"Do you want me to change it?"

"No, no I like it," Edward insisted. He turned his attention back to the animated chaos. Maybe if he watched long enough memories would come back. He wasn't foolish enough to expect a rush of memories and for everything to come back at once, but he just wanted one to hold him over. Just one comforting memory like the ones he could practically see in Bella's mind. Her eyes were alight with laughter and he knew she was probably thinking about her childhood off and on. Or maybe she was just that excited by a simple cartoon.

_"Daddy can I have more juice?"_

_"Sure kiddo, I'll get you some. Just watch your cartoons and try not to push yourself okay."_

Edward nearly whimpered out loud when the fragment of a memory flickered and died. If he caught Bella's attention by his change in facial features she didn't say anything. He pushed at the memory. Where was he? He had been laying down and drinking juice. Had he been sick? Or was it just a lazy morning. He had been with his dad but what did the man look like?! He could only remember a voice.

"You look like you're freaking out over there," Bella observed.

"I remember watching cartoons and I think I was sick. My father was talking to me but I can't picture his face. I hate this!"

He jumped up, accidentally spilling the popcorn she had been nibbling on. He knelt down and began picking up the kernels and placing them in the empty bowl. Bella put her hand on his shoulder and he stopped.

"Its all dark and fuzzy. I feel lost and isolated."

"Why don't you go get some rest," Bella suggested, "I can clean this up."

"I don't want to rest," he insisted, pushing her hand gently away when she tried to help him clean up the mess, "I need to get out of my head."

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Not really. I don't know."

Bella helped him up after he picked up the popcorn and she took it to the trash. "Hey let's go see if Esme is home. She always has little fun things to do."

"Do you think she would mind us dropping by?" Edward asked as Bella got her shoes on.

"No. She never has before."

Edward slipped into his shoes and they went out into the sunny afternoon. He jumped when he heard purring and Bella smiled.

"Cali!"

The cat purred and let Bella lift her up. She turned to Edward and smiled.

"This is Cali, she's basically our cat."

"Hello," Edward mumbled, shyly petting the cat.

"She won't bite," Bella assured him. She noticed that her cat had stopped purring but she was letting Edward pet her. After all, she was safe in Bella's arms. Bella let her jump out of her arms and land lightly on the ground. She looked at Edward and nuzzled Bella's leg.

"She doesn't like me," Edward chuckled. "She's getting territorial."

"She's just being weird," Bella assured him. "Come on."

They walked down the street and the cat followed, giving Edward wary glances and staying unusually close to Bella. Edward found it amusing. They saw Esme's car in the driveway and went into the back.

"Oh my god," Bella gasped. Edward's eyes popped and the two on the kitchen table looked over. Carlisle's shirt was unbuttoned and Esme's skirt was ridding up her hips. She was sitting on the table and their arms were tight around each other.

"Oh...hello Bella...Edward," Carlisle mumbled.

"Hey dad, we'll just let you two get back to whatever you're doing."

Esme blew a strand of hair from her face and Carlisle looked like if he could he would be blushing from head to toe.

"I was just giving her an exam...yes...and...and you're perfectly healthy Esme," he said to her. She nodded.

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen, I appreciate you helping me."

"Nobody's buying it," Bella said, folding her arms.

"Really?" Carlisle sighed. "That so would have fooled you when you were little."

Bella raised her eyebrows and Edward shifted awkwardly. Carlisle removed himself from between Esme's knees and buttoned his shirt.

"Please be merciful," Carlisle pleaded. Bella smiled and nodded to the chairs. Esme was already starting to find the situation funny so she sat down beside him. She knew exactly what was happening. When Bella was fourteen she had her first kiss. Unfortunately Carlisle had walked in and what followed was a long winded speech about the importance of saving her virtue until marriage.

"I realize that men your age have urges," Bella began, quoting almost exactly the opening to Carlisle's speech. "But it is important to control those urges, for nobody wants to be the easy boy in town."

Esme was giggling aloud now and Bella was struggling to keep a straight face.

"What may feel pleasurable now, will come back to haunt you and make you regret it. People talk, Carlisle, and the last place you want to be is at the wrong end of the rumor mill. Sex is best with someone you truly love. Someone you have made a lifelong commitment to. Someone who holds your heart dear to theirs and wants nothing more than have a happy life together."

"Oh sweet lord," Carlisle moaned, burying his head in his hair. "Bella it's completely different."

"Are you married?"

"Well...no...but..."

"Are you even dating?"

"Nothing official...but Bella, sweetheart, it's different! I'm a grown up and if I get pregnant I can support the baby...wait let me rephrase that!" Carlisle added the last bit quickly as two and a half vampires dissolved into laughter. Esme patted his shoulder and Bella was leaning on Edward for support she was laughing so hard.

He stood quickly and straightened his shirt. "Well then," he said stiffly, "when you all are done laughing I would like to make an announcement."

"Go ahead," Esme giggled, "what were you going to tell me earlier?"

"I have to go into the city for some seminars tomorrow."

"I thought they were next week," Bella said sadly.

"I thought so too sweetheart," Carlisle sighed, "I'm very sorry but I have to go if I want to keep my license."

"I know, it's important."

"I'm going to miss your concert and I'm very sad about that," Carlisle assured her.

"Dad I'm not ten. I'll live if you miss it."

Carlisle ruffled her hair a bit and smiled. "I still feel bad."

"Don't sweat it. Now we're gonna go. Do you want to come with us or do you want to finish giving Esme an exam?"

Both adults look flustered and Carlisle mumbled something about just dropping by for a visit. Then he hastily left, claiming he had to visit a patient.

"Does he really have one?" Edward asked.

"Nah, he just flusters easily," Bella giggled. "Esme are you two going to get together?"

"Oh, honey, I don't know," Esme said slowly, "you remember Charles and the train wreck that was. I don't have time for a relationship anyway with the new business going up and what not."

"Esme you're opening a craft shop, how demanding can that be, especially since you don't sleep anymore."

Esme rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on Esme you two have been all googoo eyed around each other for years! You were about to do it for crying out loud!"

"We weren't about to do it," Esme defended, "we were just...fooling around a bit."

"Uh huh. Maybe it's a good thing we showed up," Bella teased, "wouldn't want a little baby running around and all."

Esme looked a bit flustered as she mumbled something about protection. She composed herself quickly and did what she did best. Fussed over Bella.

"Are you going to be alright on your own?"

"I'm not on my own," Bella reminded her, "Edward will be with me."

"Oh lord your father won't like the idea of his virginal daughter alone with a boy."

"I won't do anything," Edward promised quickly, "I don't know her well enough, besides."

"He knows that," Bella assured him, sitting in one of the kitchen chairs. "He's just paranoid."

"Very," Esme agreed. "He thinks that all the boys in town are horny for her."

"Well some maybe."

"Ah to be young," Esme sighed dreamily, leaning against her kitchen counter.

"I wonder if I've ever been in love before," Edward said quietly as he sat at the table, "I hope I don't have a girlfriend waiting. If I do she must be so worried about me."

"Well hopefully you'll get your memory back and we can contact your parents to tell them you're alright," Esme said. "Until then try not to stress yourself."

"I hear that a lot."

"Because it's true."

Esme nodded and looked out of her kitchen window. It was starting to get late. The sky was already turning gold. "I can't believe it's almost winter," she sighed sadly, "seems the warm months just fly by."

"I like the snow," Bella shrugged, "it's fun to play in and despite vampire senses I can still nail dad in the head with a snowball at least once."

"So you try often then?" Edward asked.

"Of course! We have snow ball fights all the time here. Usually a bunch of us will go to the meadow and have a little battle. Usually the teams are pretty even as far as humans and vamps go. I mean otherwise it's hardly fair."

"Ah the highlight of winter," Esme giggled, "Carlisle getting pummeled by snow and you getting sick because you stayed out too late."

"That happened once, Esme!" Bella reminded her with a bit of a whine. "I don't get sick that often."

Edward just laughed a little seeing the look on her face. He wanted to see what the snowball fights were like but he didn't want to be in the dark for that long. Though he could come back even after he got his memories. The odds of him belonging with a family that wouldn't allow it was probably slim.

---

"Are you completely incompetent?" Aro demanded as he thundered through the palace. "How could you lose him?!"

"I didn't mean to, sire," Alec cried yet again as he scurried after the furious king. "But there is no way he could survive with a head injury so severe. He was bleeding profusely, your majesty."

"Shut up," Aro hissed, turning and grabbing Alec's collar, "listen to me you incompetent rodent, you will not speak of any of this to anyone. If I hear one suspicious whisper I will gut you like a fish. Do you understand?!"

"Y-yes sire!"

Aro dropped him and continued on his rampage. He locked himself in his study and sat heavily. When he heard a knock he closed his eyes.

"Enter," he sighed.

Caius came in and closed the door behind him.

"Ah, Caius, what news do you bring?"

"The human forces are holding strong," Caius said grimly, "I suggest a new plan that may be...controversial."

"I'll be the judge of that," Aro snapped, "now tell me and be brief, I'm developing a headache."

"I propose an invasion of the human city."

"We don't have the man power as of yet," Aro reminded him angrily, "they sleep in shifts so they are always on the ready. Those guns they have are still a match for us as shameful as that is."

"No, sire, an invasion of halfbreeds."

"Halfbreeds? You mean those pathetic creatures we keep locked up? Caius you are being absurd."

"Think of it," Caius said with a twisted grin, "the humans cannot tell they are different. Their skins are dark enough and they have enough blood to fool them. Once we have planted enough, they will use their passable strength to slow the human army while we attack."

Aro thought about that for a moment. He tried to picture a half human vampire in his mind. Would they pass for human to the untrained eye? Surely they were too pink to be vampires but they would make very pale humans.

"They may have halfbreeds of their own," Aro pointed out.

"But surely they find them as disgusting as we do."

"Find out," Aro ordered, "a plan like this will only succeed if they cannot distinguish us from them."

"They won't be able to."

"They're humans," Aro reminded Caius with a sad frown, "they're quite stupid."

"Yes, sir."

"Is there anything else?"

"Alec tells me the mission failed."

Aro closed his eyes and stood up. "Yes, Captain, the mission has failed. I want that boy's head on my desk before the coronation."

"Yes, sir," Caius said stiffly, "I shall see to it personally."

"Good. For the time being tell the tabloids that Edward has taken ill and has been transferred to a safe location due to his weakened state."

"What about when I bring back his head?" Caius asked with a grin.

"The humans killed him," Aro shrugged, "a nice little war cry don't you think? Sweet Prince Edward slain by humans at the tender age of eighteen. Poetic no?"

"Yes, sir," Caius said with a bow. "It shall be done."

"Good. You're dismissed."

Caius bowed again and then left quickly. Aro sat down and rubbed his temple. He hated Mondays.

---

Carlisle rushed to a phone the moment he got into his hotel. He called home and Bella answered on the third ring.

"Bella, honey, are you alright?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes, dad, I'm fine. I was fine the last time you called too," Bella answered, slightly annoyed.

"I worry about you being alone that's all. Besides, I hear a storm was coming in."

"Yes, dad, a rain storm. I got rained on. Alert the presses."

"Forgive me for worrying," Carlisle sighed, "how was school?"

"Uneventful. Edward stayed home."

"Oh, that must have been painfully dull."

"He alphabetized your books. I told him you wouldn't mind. Then he alphabetized our DVD collection by genre and title. So he kept busy."

Carlisle chuckled. "Well it's probably going to be uneventful. Apparently the prince has taken ill so a lot of people are worried."

"Bummer."

"Yes," Carlisle agreed, "be safe Bella. Being in the city reminds me of just how paranoid I should be about the war."

Bella snorted, "Dad we've been in a stalemate since like forever. I'm sure i'll continue that way until you get home."

"You never know," Carlisle sighed, "humor me by being extra careful. Don't talk to strangers, especially ones in military uniforms and if they give you any orders say that you are protected by law and you have to see identification and they have to have a warrant for anything."

"Yes, dad, I know."

"I worry about you Bella," Carlisle said sadly, "you know I love you very much."

"I love you too, dad."

"Alright, hugs all around. Bye sweetie."

"Bye dad."

Carlisle hung up and sat on the bed. The conference started in a few hours so until then he could entertain himself by thinking of everything that could go wrong while he was away. After thirty seconds he was already scared out of his wits and decided an appropriate distraction would be to take a shower and wash the day's travel off of himself. Bella would be just fine. She had Edward staying with her and he was a vampire.

He was also a boy. Carlisle's mind began to fill with horrific images of his daughter kissing the boy, or worse...letting him get to third base. He didn't even want to think about anything beyond that! He would have to call Esme when he got done an remind her to check up on the hormonal teenagers.

---

"How much you wanna bet he's freaking out right now?" Bella asked as Edward flipped through channels.

"Oh he's probably gone fetal," Esme laughed as she worked on knitting a sweater. Bella giggled and stroked Cali gently.

"Does he really think I would have sex with Bella so quickly?" Edward asked.

"When he lived in the city Carlisle worked in a maternity ward," Esme explained, "he delivered babies to plenty of teenage girls. As a result he has developed a paranoia about Bella and the sex drive of teenage boys."

"Oh."

"Yep, he's probably freaking out and I'm sure you'll be getting a call to rush over and stop our foolish antics," Bella said to Esme.

They all burst out laughing when Esme's cellphone began to ring.

TBC

Yeah it's been forever!! Woot! I'll try to update soon but I'm not going to promise anything.


	3. Chapter 3

DC: I don't own it

Thanks to my reviewers

Chapter 3,

Edward was getting used to the town of Rosebud and it's inhabitants. He was happy there. It was peaceful and safe. He listened to Bella sleep each night and during those times he would search his mind for memories. As Bella rushed around trying to get ready for the choir concert he wondered if he had ever done anything like that. Had he ever rushed around his home trying to find the matching sock to the one in his hand? Had he ever quietly chanted 'you can do this' under his breath as he prepared for a solo?

"I'm sure you'll do fine," he said to rid him of that train of thought. He plucked her sock out of the laundry basket and handed it to her. "Just relax."

Bella smiled and took the sock. He braced her while she pulled it on.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," she said yet again.

"Are you really that afraid of me hearing you sing?" he asked as she turned to get her sweater.

"Well...no...it's just my song is...well...about remembering...kinda."

"Then I just won't be able to relate," Edward answered with a shrug, "but I want to hear you sing. So you can't stop me."

Bella sighed and slipped into her shoes. "Fine, but you'll get bored and have nobody to blame but yourself."

Edward smiled and shrugged. "I'm sure I'll be entertained. Now come on, you'll be late!"

They left the house and locked up quickly before setting off towards the school. Edward looked up towards the twilight sky and wondered if there was any town more like a hallmark card than this one. He saw the Weber family leaving their house to walk down the block. The twin boys were holding their mother's hand and Angela left to greet Bella.

"Are you nervous? I'm so nervous, what if I miss my mark?"

"You won't be any worse than me," Bella promised her, "I have a whole song to mess up!"

"Ben's gonna be watching though," Angela reminded her, "what if this is the moment that totally tells him yeah right I don't what a beanpole who can't sing?"

"Then Ben's an idiot," Bella stated firmly, "right Edward?"

"I don't know Ben so I can't say," Edward shrugged, "but I'm certain if he had genuine affections for you then they won't go away that easily. If they do, then do you really want someone like that?"

"I suppose you're right," she sighed. "I haven't really met you yet. I'm Angela."

"Edward."

"He's one of dad's patients," Bella said.

"Oh, I didn't know Dr. Cullen had any out of town patients."

"Special favor," Edward answered.

Angela didn't press it even though she obviously wanted to. She instead kept talking with Bella about how she hoped the show would go.

"With how overdone the song is I'm sure you can find someone who butchered it completely," Angela assured Bella.

"I guess that's true."

"How hard can the song be?" Edward asked.

The girls just rolled their eyes and Bella pat his shoulder. "You'll see when I screw it up."

"Have faith," Edward told her. Bella smiled sadly at him. "I'm sure you'll do beautifully."

"I'll see you guys inside," Angela said, waving back to them as she went in. Bella lingered behind with Edward.

"Don't be nervous," he said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I've never had a solo before."

"That doesn't make you any less wonderful," Edward promised, "now Esme will record it so your dad can see and we'll all sit around and laugh about how foolish your worrying is."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am."

Bella came up and hugged him quickly, taking him completely off guard. He awkwardly pat her back, unsure of what else to do. He gave her a gentle smile before she ran off to the dressing room. He joined the cluster of people in the lobby and searched for a familiar face. They were mostly parents and younger siblings. He found Esme talking with a young man about yarn. That in itself was odd in Edward's opinion.

"Is Bella completely freaking out?" she asked as he approached.

"Yep, she's convinced that she's going to do horribly."

"She's like that every year, and every year she does a wonderful job and Carlisle is overflowing with pride in her. It's quite sweet how her life has completely absorbed his."

"He's really dedicated to her," Edward agreed, "is that normal?"

"In varying degrees," Esme said with a smile. "Sometimes he takes it a bit far, but he's pretty well balanced. Shall we go in?"

Edward nodded and followed her into the auditorium. Shortly after they sat the elementary school choir took the stage.

---

Bella looked at her reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. The elementary school kids were done and so were the junior high students. From what she heard the freshman were on stage now. Her director fussed about her hair, making sure everything was straight and beautiful. She had silver eyeshadow that she hated and glitter on her cheeks. That she absolutely hated.

"Alright dear you're almost done," the woman said, spraying glitter in her hair. Bella wondered what her choir teacher's deal with glitter was but thought it better not to ask. Her dress was midnight blue with sparkles to resemble the night sky. Again, more freaking sparkles!!!

"Bella you are positively blinding," Angela giggled as she came over.

"I feel like a fairy."

They laughed but stopped when Jessica walked by looking very sour. She had wanted Bella's solo and it was no secret that she was thoroughly pissed off about not getting it. Instead she was part of the chorus to another song.

"Ignore her," Angela sighed when she saw Bella getting annoyed. "She's just jealous because she isn't as good as you are."

"Still, she doesn't have to be such a bitch about it."

Thankfully for them, Jessica was human and couldn't hear their conversation. That didn't stop her from glaring at Bella when she wasn't looking.

"She does look silly in that fifties getup though," Bella shrugged.

"Alright people! Seniors, except for Bella and Angela, you're on in a minute!"

Jessica gave one more dirty look to Bella before joining the other girls in their poodle skirts and the guys in their T-bird jackets. After the principal finished speaking the upbeat music of Summer Love began to play, sending the teenagers onto the stage to do their number.

Bella watched with the other high school teens. She heard the assembling of students and felt her heart race. The soft music began to play and the stage lights changed. Angela took her place and she walked out in front of the entire town. She caught Edward in the second row with Esme. He smiled at her and she smiled back. The music began to change and she began to sing.

"Memory, turn your face to the moonlight, let your memory lead you..."

Edward was in shock. Her voice was enchanting to his ears. She looked absolutely gorgeous with the light glittering on her skin. The song was so sad and beautiful at the same time. He watched her graceful movements and wondered why in the world she thought she couldn't perform well. He sat in his seat and felt his mind reel back. A show in the city where all the actors were cats. A beautiful woman with bronze hair was sitting beside him in an evening gown. On his other side a man sat in a tuxedo. Her perfume was sweet and subtle and familiar. She put his hand on his and he saw he was fidgeting with the program.

_"Remember yourself my dear," she whispered to him._

_"Mom why is she so sad?"_

_"She laments growing old and is lost in her memories."_

_"Oh."_

_"I have always loved this song so much," his mother sighed happily. She held his small hand in hers and smiled, murmuring the lyrics to herself._

Edward sat Angela stand and come to Bella as she sang. "Sunlight through the trees in summer, endless masquerading..."

_"Touch me, its so easy to leave me, all alone with the memory..." her beautiful voice ended with a cough and Edward perked up._

_"Mother?"_

_"I'm sorry dear. Just a little tickle."_

_"Is it because of my brother?" he asked. "Mom you can't get sick because if you do he will too."_

_"Hush Edward, don't worry yourself, I will be just fine, and so will your brother."_

_Edward settled in her lap again and she resumed singing._

"Of my days in the sun, if you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is, look a new day has begun."

The auditorium burst into applause and the students took their bows before finishing the show with a round of I hope you had the time of your lives. As the lights came up and the show ended Edward drifted back to the memory he had revealed. The gentle faces of his mother and father. They had seen the show in a theater when he was small. Had his mother really gotten sick? Had she died?

"Edward are you alright?" Esme asked.

"Fine," he mumbled, "where's Bella going to meet us?"

"Oh out in the lobby. Are you sure you're okay?"

Edward nodded and Esme didn't have time to press any further before they reached the cluster of people. He made his way through it and found Bella coming out of the back hall. She smiled and ran to him.

"You were magnificent," Edward told her with a bright smile. "Truly gifted."

"You started to look distant earlier. Did you remember something?"

"My mother," he said with a sad smile, "she loved that song. She used to sing it to me when I was young. I remembered being dressed up and seeing that show in a theatre as a child."

"Well I'm happy for you," Bella said hugging him, "you're getting your memories back and soon you'll have them all!"

"Yeah," he mumbled. He felt saddened by that. If he got all his memories back, there was nothing to keep him in that small town. With Bella. He didn't understand why that was so sad for him. After all he did want to find his parents and reunite with them. Bella pulled away from him and smiled before going to greet Esme. He wanted her to stay in his arms just a little longer.

Bella smiled back at him and tugged on his arm.

"We usually got get ice cream after a concert," Bella said, "do you want to come?"

"Sure."

"Excellent!"

"You two go on ahead," Esme said, "I have to give Carlisle a call and tell him everything went fine."

"Oh, okay then. Do you want us to bring you some?"

"No thank you dear. You two have fun."

They both nodded and left while Esme lingered behind to talk to some adult friends. It was a beautiful night with a few clouds. Edward took a deep contented breath.

"Do you remember what your mother was like?"

"Not really," he answered sadly. He could picture her face clearly in his mind. Her long bronze hair curled around a diamond tiara. Her red eyes were sparkling with delight. She had a beautiful smile that made him feel happy. "I just remember her face. She was soft and happy. I think she died."

"How can you be sure?" Bella asked. "I mean that's horrible."

"I was curled in her lap and she was sick and pregnant. I think I lost them both."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Edward looked at the pavement as they walked in silence. "I think it happened when I was young." Edward clenched his fists tight and let out a groan. "I hate this! I hate not knowing who I am!"

"I wish I could say something to make it better."

Edward just plopped down on a bench as they reached the town square. Bella sat nervously beside him. He draped his arms over the back of the bench and looked up at the velvety sky.

"What is it like?"

"It's like..." Edward began slowly trying to find words. His brow furrowed slightly. "It's like when you wake up from a dream. You have snippets of it and a strong feeling, but you can't remember how or why. It seems worse with memories coming back in little bits. I keep pushing my mind to remember. I want to remember my mother and father. I want to remember my brother or if he even survived her sickness. I want to watch you and Carlisle watch television together and have a memory of my own to accompany it. It's a shame, because you want so badly to forget your childhood."

"Well," Bella sighed, leaning back, "if you can remember your mother taking you to see Cats at a young age in a fancy theatre odds are your childhood was better than mine."

"Maybe. But at least it got better."

Bella just smiled and nodded.

---

Around two thirty in the morning Edward found himself reading one of Bella's text books. It wasn't exactly the most fascinating read, but he had gone through all of Bella's books and the interesting ones Carlisle had. Medicine just didn't fascinate him the way it did the older vampire. He could hear Bella mumbling in her sleep upstairs and it made him smile. She was mostly incoherent. He felt a strange feeling in his chest when he heard her whisper his name.

He looked back at the text. It was talking about the beginning of the war. He saw the teacher had run off some copies of another text book. It seemed the humans and the vampires had very different perceptions on what happened. Both seemed to agree on what happened in general though. A human royal fell in love with a vampire royal and a shot was fired. But whether the shot was a bullet, or a serum vessel Edward didn't know.

In fact he didn't even know what a serum vessel was! He got up to check one of Carlisle's books. He flipped through a book on modern warfare for doctors. He found information on how to treat bullet wounds in humans but nothing on weapons against vampires. He found that in another book of the same title. He thought it was funny how similar both worlds really were in their literature.

_Serum Vessel: Developed in the late 1900's by a German scientist before the nations united against the vampiric nations. A long bullet, four inches long. The metal of the bullet is coated in an acidic substance that weakens the tough skin of a vampire. Once the skin is weakened by the impact the liquid center seeps into the blood and weakens the vampire severely._

"Is that even a serum?" Edward wondered aloud. He figured it was just a cool name. After all poison bullet doesn't sound as flashy. He shook his head and closed the book. He heard Bella's phone ring in the living room and he went to it. It was Carlisle. "Hello?"

"Oh, Edward, good. How did the concert go?"

"Didn't Esme call you?"

"Yes but I was in a lecture," Carlisle answered.

"Oh. It was very beautiful. Bella sang the song Memory and she was wonderful."

"That's great! She always does a beautiful job. Did you guys get ice cream after?"

"We got sidetracked," Edward admitted.

"With what?"

"I had a memory come back while she was singing about my mom. I got a little sad after that."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Carlisle said sincerely. "It wasn't a good one then?"

"No it was. But in the end she was sick. I think she died during her pregnancy."

"That's terrible! Edward I'm sorry you have to go through that again. I hope you were able to cheer up a little later."

Edward nodded and then realized he was on the phone. "Yes, Bella and I played cards and then she made me watch a girly movie."

Carlisle laughed. "She loves her girly movies. So are you keeping busy?"

"I was reading one of her text books and I don't understand this whole war. I had to look in one of your medical books to find out what the heck a serum vessel is."

"It's a poorly named weapon," Carlisle grumbled, "I hate it."

"Is it really bad?"

"Yes. It poisons the blood and weakens defenses. If untreated it festers and kills the vampire from the inside out. It more or less liquifies our stomachs and our kidneys. Basically what hold and process the blood we ingest so the body essentially floods with blood and the waste taken from the blood."

"Okay, that's enough for me," Edward whined, "I want to sleep sometime this week!"

"The vampires have their own arsenal to destroy humans with, and for what? A family feud."

"Bitter much?" Edward asked.

"I hate being in the city with so many specist people."

"Specist?"

"Someone who discriminates based on species."

"Oh."

"How is Bella doing?"

"I think she's having a nightmare. She's whimpering a bit."

"Alright, I'll let you go to check on her," Carlisle said, "I'll be home tomorrow night."

"Alright. Have fun and be safe."

"I will. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Edward hung up and set the phone down on the table just as Bella screamed. He rushed up the stairs and found her thrashing about in her blankets.

"Bella! Wake up!"

"No! No! Stop!"

Edward shook her shoulders and her eyes snapped open. She sat up and frantically looked around. When she saw his concerned face she threw her arms around his neck and held him tight.

"Don't leave me," she mumbled into his neck.

"I'm not going to leave you," he assured her. "You just had a nightmare. I can stay with you until you fall asleep ag--"

Edward cut off as she kissed him. He didn't really know how to react. Did he enjoy the fact that she was kissing him? Yes. She was a beautiful young woman and he was developing a bit of a crush on her. But was she really seriously kissing him? He felt his arms move on their own to cradle her body against his. Was he really seriously kissing her back?! He knew he had to stop! It was the gentlemanly thing to do after all! She was hardly conscious!

Bella pulled away and was very red. "Um...uh...sorry."

"Are you okay?" Edward asked. "I mean you were screaming like someone was trying to kill you."

She nodded. "Yeah. I don't remember at all what the dream was about. Just you were hurt and you didn't wake up so I was screaming for someone to help you."

"You had a dream that I died?"

Bella nodded. "Kinda morbid."

"Yeah. But at least you didn't kill me."

"True."

They were both silent after that. It was a thick suffocating awkward silence. Bella looked at her hands and fidgeted. She could still feel the cold his lips left on hers. He had started to kiss her back. What did that mean? She wondered why she kissed him in the first place! Was she falling for him? Yes he was handsome and delightful to be around, but she barely knew him. Was this all just a sympathy thing? Was it genuine affection at first sight?

"So...your dad called," Edward said, trying to break the tension. "He'll be home tomorrow."

"Oh. That's good. He's probably miserable there."

"So he says."

More silence. Edward was sure being killed by one of those special bullet would be less painful than this. After all that hadn't been just a quick peck on the lips. There was affection behind it. Did that really mean she liked him?

"So..." he began with nothing to follow it.

"Yeah."

"Great talk."

"Very," Bella agreed with a vigorous nod. "I'll just go on back to sleep now."

"Sounds good. I'll just go back to reading."

"Alrighty then. Night."

"Night."

Edward left and Bella covered herself with her blankets wishing there was a way she could just die of embarrassment.

---

Carlisle had quite the surprise when he came home. Edward was making dinner for Bella while she worked on her homework. That wasn't the surprising part. It was the way the tension went through the roof when he handed her the plate of mushroom raviolis.

"Thanks," she mumbled."

"No problem."

Then he went into the living room to continue reading. Carlisle looked between the two rooms.

"Did I miss something?" he asked.

"Huh? No, dad, just focusing."

"Uh huh. Bells you have never focused so intently on math before."

"Turning a new leaf then."

Carlisle raised a skeptical brow. He went to the kitchen to get some blood and then sat at the table with her.

"So how did it go?"

"Fine. Esme has the tape of the show if you want to see it."

"I'm excited to add it to the collection. Tell me why is the tension between you and Edward so high?"

"Oh...you noticed that."

"Hard not to," Carlisle said with an amused smile. "Talk sweetheart."

"I woke up from a bad nightmare and I kinda kissed him."

Carlisle's eyes popped and Bella blushed deeply. "You kissed him?" he asked slowly as if he had never said the words before.

"Yeah but it was just a thing. I was upset because the nightmare was about him dying and I was so relieved and now it's really awkward between us."

"I can imagine."

Bella got up and pushed her homework away.

"You aren't done yet are you?"

"I don't feel like doing math."

Carlisle rolled his eyes as she walked off. He stood and sighed.

"I'm going to go get that tape from Esme," he said.

"If you're not back in twenty minutes I'll assume you decided to give her another exam," Bella teased.

"What happened to the days when you were small and naive?" Carlisle moaned sadly.

"Yeah those are long gone."

Carlisle came up and dramatically hugged his daughter while Edward watched in mild amusement. Bella squeaked and protested the hug but really couldn't break it.

"My sweet little baby Bells is all grown up! Gone are the salad days where my little angel knew naught of sarcasm, dry humor, sex and boys!"

"I haven't even had sex yet why are you mourning that?!"

"Because one day, sweet Bella, you will, and you will no longer by my baby," Carlisle reminded her. "It's useless to resist daddy's love sweetheart!"

"What mental hospital did you break out of?" Bella asked dryly. She gave up and let Carlisle hug her tight. "You know this is kinda embarrassing after the age of twelve right?"

"Aw you teenagers and your image."

"If I say I love you too will you let me go?"

"Promise me you'll stop growing up?"

Edward laughed as Bella groaned.

"Fine, I promise, daaaaaad let go!"

Carlisle kissed her forehead and let her go. Bella stumbled a bit and then got her composure back. She did smile a bit when Carlisle ruffled her hair on his way to get his shoes.

"I'll be back soon," he said as he slipped them on.

"Right-O pops."

"Aw man pops makes me sound old," he grumbled as he walked out the door.

"You two are sweet," Edward chuckled. Bella sighed and fell onto the sofa.

"He can be silly sometimes. But I must say he was a welcome change from my parents. Well the only one I can remember. I suppose my birth father was probably a jerk too."

"Do you ever try to remember him?"

Bella just shook her head no.

"Why?"

"Why would I? I don't think I've ever met him. For all I know he could have just forced himself onto my mother and that could explain why she hated me. All I do know is that I look like him because she would remind me over and over again that I had his face."

Edward came over and sat with her, finding the arm chair uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry to be so negative. I know you want to remember your parents."

"That's the thing," Edward mumbled, "I don't know if I do anymore."

"Why is that?" Bella asked. Edward didn't answer. His mind slipped back to the fuzzy memory he had uncovered during the night. He was sitting with a man who looked like him. He was holding his hand and it was warm. Too warm for a vampire.

"What if they both died?" Edward asked quietly. "If I remember them...I will have to go through the pain of losing them again."

Bella pulled him to her and hugged him. He seemed to have been holding this back all day which would explain why he was so distant.

"What if they were wonderful and what if all I wanted was to forget them so the pain would go away?"

"I wish I could give you an answer," Bella murmured sadly. "I don't want you to be in pain Edward."

"I guess nobody is looking for me then."

"You can always stay here."

"I don't think your dad would go for that."

"Even if he doesn't, which is probably will as he's practically a saint, you can live in town and be happy."

"This place does radiate happy."

"Yes it does. I mean look at dad when he gets back from the city. He's all depressed because of the politics and whatnot and he's generally always happy. Here it's peaceful and quiet."

Edward smiled against her shoulder. He was so happy she was the one to find him. That she befriended him. He had only known her maybe a week but she was already so dear to him as a lifelong friend would be.

"You're amazing," he mumbled against her sweater.

"I get that a lot."

They both laughed a bit. Bella stroked his hair gently and rested her cheek against his head. He held her tighter, wanting to keep her warmth close. He felt her heart skip a beat when he did.

"Are you uncomfortable."

"No. Just..."

"What?"

"Nevermind," she mumbled. "Are you feeling a bit better? I don't like it when you're sad."

"I'm fine," he sighed, "this is comfortable. You're warm and soft."

"Like your mother?"

"I suppose."

Bella smiled a bit and she felt him do the same. "Edward will you stay here?"

"I hope so. I don't want to leave."

"What could be waiting for you anywhere else? If you lost your parents and were an only child...I don't mean to sound rude."

"No, I know what you're saying."

It was a good question. What was waiting for him back home? If it was something important he would have been found by now, or at least heard about his disappearance.

_"Sometimes I just want to run away from all of this. From the politics and the pressure."_

_"Edward you're being silly," a man with long dark hair said as they walked through a large hallway._

_"Why? Because I want to see what life is like without a trail of paparazzi and diplomats hounding me for everything? I'm not my father, Aro! I can't do this!"_

_"Now, now," Aro hushed, holding his shoulders, "you're just having some pre-coronation jitters."_

_"But Aro..."_

_"Why don't you take a trip to the countryside to clear your head. You've been under pressure lately and it's getting to you."_

_Edward nodded. "The country does sound nice."_

_"Yes, Alec will go with you for protection."_

_"I'm old enough to go by myself."_

_"Yes, but those disgusting human monsters would love to see you dead."_

_"Cheery."_

_"Go, Edward," Aro encouraged, "and when you return you will take your place as king of the vampiric nations."_

Edward closed his eyes as the memory finished. He buried his face in her neck. Something quite huge was waiting for him back home. He could see the throne in his mind and the weight of it was suffocating him.

TBC

Snow storms are great for writing! Two snow days aren't bad though. I know Memory is a bit cliche but I've had that song stuck in my head for days and I love Carlisle in the father role. Is it just me or would he make an awesome parent. He just feels like he would be cheerful and bubbly like all the time. :)


	4. Chapter 4

DC: I don't own it

Thanks to my reviewers!

Chapter 4,

Edward laid awake listening to the normal sounds of the Cullen home. He could hear Bella's soft snoring mixed with her mumbling in the next room. He was using Carlisle's room as it was rarely used anymore now that Carlisle was out of his sleeping years. It was filled with trinkets and photographs. The room screamed doting father, from the framed portrait with his daughter to the macaroni art on construction paper. He wondered if his father's room had looked the same. Did prince's make macaroni art? He wanted to believe his father had kept all of his childhood art projects and had pictures of his life.

_"Mommy! Daddy! Lookit what I made!" Edward squealed as he ran into the living room. His parents were sitting together on the couch, reading the paper together. They put it aside, however, to focus on their little son._

_"Come show me," Elizabeth said with a smile. She held out her arms and helped him clamber up into their laps. He handed her the paper that was a family portrait. "Oh my this is lovely!"_

_"Really?! You like it?!" Edward asked, bouncing a bit._

_"We love it," his father chuckled patting his head. "I love the purple on mommy's dress. What's the yellow on my head?"_

_"That's your crown daddy," Edward said as if it were obvious._

_"Oh, I thought it was a baby chicken," his father teased._

_"Daddy don't be silly!" Edward giggled. "It isn't a chick!"_

_"If you say so," the king chuckled, petting his son's hair. "It's very beautiful."_

_They laughed together but stopped when Caius came in._

_"Sire, the human ambassador will be here shortly."_

_"Oh, yes right, I forgot. Meet me in my study."_

_"Yes, sire," Caius said with a bow before leaving. Edward looked at his now disgruntled._

_"Remember, prince's don't pout."_

_"Yes, dad," Edward mumbled. "Can I come too?"_

_"Not quite yet," the king chuckled, cradling his son as he stood up. "When you're a bit bigger you'll be able to attend important meetings and train to become king."_

_Edward smiled when his father kissed his forehead and hugged him._

_"Will you be done soon?"_

_"I hope so. How about you and mommy work on your puzzle."_

_"Okay," Edward squeaked happily. His father kissed his forehead and set him down. His mother took his hand and kissed her husband on the cheek before going to the other room where a large puzzle was waiting on a table._

Edward put down the macaroni picture. He didn't know when he had gotten up and moved to the shelves where the projects were resting. He closed his eyes and wished he could go to sleep. Anything to help recover from the new memory. Another came before he could catch his breath. He remembered a softly lit room with a large bed. It was blurry and seemed to overlap another memory. He was young, probably nine or so, and crying.

_"Daddy make it better!"_

_"I can't bring her back, Edward."_

_"But why? You're the king right? What you say has to be done!"_

_"Edward you know that isn't how it works," his father murmured, holding him. He drew the covers over his son's shoulders and cuddled him tight. "I miss her too."_

_"She's mommy though," Edward sniffed, "she was supposed to be with us forever!"_

_"I know, son, I know."_

The memory shifted and Edward was sitting on the bedside and his father was laying down. He was holding his hand tight. This time he was older and he wasn't crying quite so obviously.

_"Dad, have you had blood today?"_

_"Don't worry about me. Isn't tonight the big dance?"_

_"I don't care about that," Edward reminded him, "it's just a stupid dance."_

_"Your first homecoming though. That's a teenage milestone."_

_Edward shook his head. "I don't care about dances dad you know that. Besides, someone has to make sure you eat."_

_His father chuckled. Edward felt pain in his heart when he saw his father's face. The vampire who had been so healthy and strong months ago was now thin and frail. His skin was papery and very warm. The worst was his eyes. The red was gone and his pupils had a white ring. The infection was preventing his body from absorbing blood properly, essentially starving him to death._

_"Your mother would be so proud of you," the king said in his raspy voice. "You were her treasure."_

_"She loved us both a lot."_

_"She was a good woman. The best actually. I hope you can find someone even half as wonderful as she was."_

_"Well when that time comes you can let me know what you think."_

_The king chuckled before coughing. Edward dabbed the blood from his chin._

_"You've been spending so much time nursing me," he said sadly, "Edward you should be out enjoying your adolescence."_

_"How much will I enjoy when I'm worrying about you?" Edward asked. "Dad this is where I want to be. Just in case you need me."_

_His father squeezed his hand tight. "Edward you will make a wonderful king someday. You have your mother's kindness."_

_"You'll be there to help me. I know you will."_

_"Edward you know I won't."_

_"You have to. Dad I can't be a good king without you helping me. Aro can't train me like you can."_

_"Aro will do a fine job until you're of age. I've left everything to you."_

_"Dad..."_

_"I love you more than anything in this world Edward. After Elizabeth died I realized how fragile life can be, and how easily you could be taken away from me. Forgive me for being so overbearing, I was just afraid that I would lose you too."_

_"Dad you can't leave me too," Edward cried, grabbing his father's hand tight with both hands, "I need you."_

_"I will always be with you so long as you keep me in your memory. Remember everything I taught you and carry it with you."_

_Edward shook his head. "If I promise to forget will you stay?"_

_"You're thirteen Edward," his father chuckled, "well old enough to know that isn't how it works."_

_"Can't hurt to try."_

_The sick king raised his arms to signal his son to hug him. Edward laid beside his father to cuddle him. He smelled like he always did. It was an unexplainable scent that filled him with warmth and love. He listened to his father's labored breathing and knew it was only a matter of time before it would stop._

_"I love you my son," he whispered._

_"I love you too, dad."_

Edward looked over when he heard someone come in. He saw Bella in the darkness. She came and hugged him.

"You're so sad," she said quietly, "something told me you needed a hug."

"I need a huge hug," Edward mumbled.

They sat in silence. Bella leaned against the head board and Edward clung to her. His head rested on her chest and she gently stroked his hair. She was warm and gentle.

"I miss my parents," he mumbled finally.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'll never see them again."

Bella rested her chin on his head as she hugged him. She found herself absentmindedly rubbing his upper arm in a slow soothing motion as she tried to wonder what he was going through. She couldn't even imagine what her life would be like if she lost Carlisle.

"I can't go back to that life."

"Then don't," Bella mumbled, "stay with me."

"Someone will come looking for me eventually."

"They'll have a hard time pulling you away then."

Edward smiled. "In the short time I've known you, you've become so dear to me."

"I'm glad."

A comfortable silence fell upon them, making Edward feel safe. Bella's warm arms were so gentle and caring. His royal life was waiting for him back home. His uncle was probably worried sick about him. He felt a guilty pang when he realized the selfishness of his choice to remain in Rosebud with Bella. Not that he was going to change his mind, but at least he should contact his uncle and let him know he was safe.

"What are you thinking about?" Bella asked.

"How my uncle must be worried about me. He must be so upset that I'm gone."

---

"He is a teenager for crying out loud how could you not find him?!" Aro demanded when Caius turned up empty handed.

"Sire we've searched the forests even around where Alec said they had fought but we can't find any trace of him. Nobody has seen him. It's like he vanished."

Aro sank into the leather chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Caius you have been a faithful military leader since my nephew was a small boy. Please don't start failing me, especially since my entire plan to keep my throne and my power is so heavily dependent on that boy's death."

Caius nodded. "I wish I could spare more men, sire, but with the war my hands are tied. I promise you I will find the prince but it will take time."

"I don't have time," Aro barked, standing quickly and angrily, "Sooner or later the press will find out about his disappearance when he is heavily guarded at all times and how do you think they will react? They'll know something is amiss!"

"Blame the humans," Caius told him, "Edward is well liked by the people and they won't take kindly to his vanishing when the humans have been so restless. We can claim they have taken him."

"Your police will want to see evidence of a ransom to trace it."

"My police will see what I want them to see," Caius reminded him with a grin, "sire concentrate on your politics. Leave the boy to me."

"Very well. But you are trying my patience."

"Understandable, your majesty."

Aro waved his hand and Caius bowed before leaving. He walked quickly through the halls and out to his sleek black car. He pulled out of the grounds, drumming his fingers on the wheel. He had a limited amount of time to find one teenager in a massive kingdom and an even larger outland. He also had other plans that required his attention. He pulled into a lot and got out of the car. He was greeted by a soldier who saluted him and fell into step behind as he passed.

"Update," he barked.

"We are having trouble finding halfbreeds."

"Whatever do you mean? Have you checked the gutters and the ghettos?"

"I have sir," the man insisted as he followed, "but few live to adolescence or adulthood. They are rightfully killed off."

"Well look harder."

That was all he said before turning into an office and slamming the door. He crossed to a large window that overlooked a massive room.

"Warden," he said quietly, "how are they progressing?"

"As well as their feeble bodies will allow," an older vampire said from his desk. "They break as easily as a human."

"Fetch Jane and tell her we are going hunting," Caius ordered.

"Yes, Captain."

---

Edward told himself that it was his gentlemanly nature that was keeping him from beating Bella in a foot race through the woods but he knew that was a lie. She was just beating him! How did that work anyway?! She had human blood to slow her down! How was he, a pure royal vampire, losing?!

"Are you always this slow?" Bella panted as he reached the bridge after her.

"I let you win," he sniffed.

"Yeah, sure whatever."

"I think we lost your dad," Edward said looking back through the woods.

"Nah, he's already there. He's twice as fast as me which means he left you way in the dust."

"It was a fluke," Edward insisted with a scowl. He didn't like to lose, especially to girls. It was an immature personality trait that he retained into his almost adult life. They reached a tiny little clearing by the stream where Carlisle and Esme were waiting.

"What took you so long?" Carlisle asked with a laugh. "I thought Bella would be the last one."

Edward scowled at her and she just laughed it off. They sat on the checkered blanket and Esme took out plastic containers. Bella had a sandwich and some fruit with a soda. Edward was surprised when Esme handed him a plate with some cake on it. He took a bite and was surprised when it tasted like sweetened blood.

"This is delicious!"

"It's like heaven," Carlisle agreed, already half way through his piece.

"Luckily Esme doesn't make them that often so he can't get fat," Bella said with a laugh.

"Oh yes I think the ladies in town would stop chasing him if he were rounder," Esme agreed with a giggle.

"Oh haha."

Esme giggled. "Hold still hon, you're making a mess," she said in the typical maternal tone. She reached over with a napkin and dabbed some blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks Esme," Carlisle said with a grateful smile.

"Oh my god will you two just go out already?!" Bella moaned.

"Well they were getting close that one time," Edward reminded her.

"Ah yes. Tell me, was Esme here your emergency patient last night?"

Carlisle had a brief moment of hesitation that unfortunately for him, Bella caught.

"See! You two do like each other! So hurry up and say it!"

"Well, if it will make you happy," Esme sighed before grabbing Carlisle by the back of the neck and pulling him to her for a kiss. Watching his eyes pop in surprise and uncertainty was absolutely priceless. When the shock wore off he returned her gentle kiss.

Edward saw Bella looking quite pleased with what she had brought on. He could only imagine how long they had been crushing on each other and how long Bella had wanted Esme to be her mom. It was sweet though to see the good doctor finally admit his feelings.

"I love you Carlisle," Esme said with a smile.

"I love you too."

"Yay now that that's out of the way, Edward I want to show you my favorite spot!"

Edward nodded and they both stood up. Carlisle sighed and laid back on the soft grass.

"I thought this was her favorite spot," Esme said.

"It is, she just wants to give us privacy."

"Yeah like you could even get it up outdoors," Esme snorted.

"I worry about voyeurs, okay! It's a legitimate fear!"

Esme giggled and snuggled against him. She hugged him around the middle and he lazily stroked her hair.

"So no more casual sex?" He asked after a comfortable silence.

"Nope, just boring committed relationship sex."

"Ah."

Esme smiled against his chest and closed her eyes. It felt good to lay with him in the sunlight.

---

Edward followed Bella to the cliffs edge.

"You can see everything from here," she sighed happily.

"I remember being here," Edward mumbled. He looked around the clearing. There was a road nearby that wound through the forest, forming the scenic route between the city and the country. He walked towards the road where he could picture a sleek car. He was aware of Bella following him.

"I was here," he said quietly, "I was talking about being unhappy at home with someone in a uniform."

"Then what happened?" Bella asked, standing beside him.

"It gets fuzzy. I remember running through the trees but I couldn't see very well. I was trying to get away from something. Or someone."

"Do you think it was the guy in the uniform?"

Edward shrugged. He walked back to the cliff face. He could see it in his mind. He was breathless which was odd since he didn't need to breathe. He could feel blood on his neck and terror filled his being. He turned to run and he lost his balance.

"I fell," Edward said as they reached the edge of the cliff. "Down there and I hit my head on a rock. I awoke and I was disoriented and I couldn't remember how I had gotten there."

"Let's talk about something happy," Bella decided. "The idea of you falling and cracking your skull open is depressing me."

Edward laughed. "Depressing you? Well then you won't want to hear my theory about how to regain all my memories."

"You aren't jumping off of the cliff, Edward!"

"It could work you know," Edward shrugged with a smile backing towards the edge.

"Stop it! That isn't funny!" Bella squealed.

"You're right," he agreed, "I'm sorry. That was mean of me."

"Yes it was," Bella snapped with a nod, "I don't like the thought of you being hurt in any way."

Edward smiled and walked away from the edge, towards her.

"Alright, I won't get hurt then."

"Good. Now that that's settled let's talk about your little crying spell last night."

"I wasn't crying," Edward mumbled, slightly embarrassed. Men didn't cry after all.

"You remembered your parents. Do you remember your home?"

"I'm not going back so it doesn't matter. Tomorrow I will call my uncle and tell him that I am safe and sound and never coming back."

"Why do you want to stay so badly?" Bella asked, sitting on a boulder. "I mean I want you to, but there has to be a bigger reason."

Edward looked at her and felt his throat tighten. She was looking at him with her usual curious expression. The wind ruffled her dark hair a bit and he could see light shining in her dark eyes. She was truly and angel and this was his chance to tell her just how he thought of her. How in such a short time she had taken his heart and his whole being with her kindness and charming beauty. He would tell her now. Tell her that he adored her, that he loved her so much that he wanted to give up everything just so he could stay with her. He wanted to give up his crown so he could stay with her in this little town.

"Bella, the only reason I want to stay is because I..."

"Highness!"

They both looked over when three people came into the clearing. They wore military uniforms that were a bit rumpled by the hike through the woods.

"Highness?" Bella repeated, confused.

"Prince Edward we have been searching everywhere for you," Caius said, sounding both delighted and angry.

"Prince?" Bella asked, standing. She expected to see surprise or disbelief in Edward's eyes but she didn't. Instead she saw anger and frustration. "You knew."

"Bella it's not like that," Edward insisted quickly.

"How long have you known?! I ask you every day if you remembered anything and every day you said nothing important!"

"You sustained brain damage then?" Caius asked. "How tragic."

"Caius return to my uncle and tell him that I will not be returning."

"Why?" Caius asked with a laugh. "So you can stay here with her?"

"That is none of your concern."

The three vampires just continued to laugh, making Edward angry. He clenched his fists and Caius stopped laughing. He silenced the other two by raising his hand.

"That girl is none of your concern anymore. Your uncle has green lighted the arrest of filth like her."

Bella took a step back and Edward moved in front of her. "She hasn't done anything wrong," Edward growled.

Caius laughed again and Bella flinched. His laugh was so cold and empty, reminding her of her life in the city.

"It exists," Caius sneered, "that alone is crime enough. Jane, Alec, arrest her."

"No!" Edward cried, running at them as they rushed towards the two teenagers. He crashed into Alec and managed to get him back but Jane was quicker. Edward briefly wondered if Alec ever felt embarrassed by the fact that his sister could, and often did, kick his ass and was by far the strongest of the two. He whirled around and saw Bella struggling against the stronger vampire.

"Come now little girl be good or I'll have to hurt you," Jane cooed with a dark grin. It faded when she raised a hand to block Edward's attack. He stopped when he heard Caius ready his pistol and saw it pointed at Bella. Everyone went quiet.

"Now, Edward, back away from the girl."

Edward put his hands up and stepped back.

"We are going to take her whether or not you agree."

"Keep her safe, I will have my uncle repeal the order."

"I doubt that."

"When I am king I will repeal it personally and if she's harmed I will see you fired."

"As you command, your highness," Caius sneered. "My regards to your parents."

"Wh...?" Edward began. He was cut off when Caius jerked the gun over and shot him square in the chest. Bella screamed as he stumbled back and tumbled over the edge of the cliff.

"EDWARD!" She screamed, struggling against Jane's iron grip. She felt pain on the back of her head before her world went black.

TBC

Happy Holidays! Hopefully I'll update before Christmas :)


	5. Chapter 5

DC: I don't own it

Thanks to my reviewers!

Chapter 5,

Carlisle ran through the trees with Esme behind him. He was planning on scaling the cliffside to get to where Bella was but skidded to a stop when he saw Edward on the ground.

"Edward!" He called, running to the boy. He was laying half in the stream, draped over a stone. The stone was covered with his blood. "Oh my god, Edward!"

Carlisle pulled him onto the ground and saw the gaping wound in his chest.

"Carlisle what happened?!"

"Esme my kit," he ordered. She yanked her backpack open and gave Carlisle his doctor's bag. He opened it and pulled out the items he needed. "Go up and see if Bella is alright."

Esme nodded and began climbing up the side of the cliff the way only a vampire could.

"Hang on Edward," Carlisle said as he worked, "she'll kill me if you die."

Carlisle pulled out the collapsed compartment of an SV bullet and felt his body go cold. He didn't have the equipment on him to treat the poison. He gathered Edward into his arms and yelled up to Esme to meet them in town before running off at top speed. He ran as fast as his legs would take him, praying he could get home in time. He wracked his brain to figure out if he had any antidote left at home.

He heard Esme running fast behind him. He slowed temporarily so she could catch up and run along with him.

"I can't find her. Her scent leads of to the road with three vampires. Carlisle they took her."

Carlisle let out an angry yell that seemed to startle Edward into consciousness. His eyes opened slightly and he let out a grunt of pain.

"Hold on," Carlisle ordered, "you aren't going to die on me."

"What's the plan?" Esme asked.

"Go to the pharmacy and get an antidote for the serum vessel. If anyone asks tell them being in the city made me paranoid again."

"Right. I'll meet you at home," Esme said, veering off path as they reached the meadow before town. Carlisle nearly broke the door when he ran in. He laid Edward on the table and went to the cupboard in the bathroom where he kept all of the medicines he owned. He pushed through the bottles to find the anti-toxin he needed. He found an alcohol he needed to clean the wound but nothing to cure the poison. He swore quietly and winced when he heard Edward's whimpers and moans of pain.

"Edward," Carlisle said quietly, "please hang on."

Edward squeezed his eyes closed. He felt like his body was on fire. An icy cold fire that he had never experienced before. There was a powerful ache radiating from his chest. All he could think about was Bella.

"Find...her..."

"What happened? Can you tell me who did this?"

"Caius," Edward grunted as Carlisle cleaned the wound. "New...order..."

"Are you going to tell me why the captain of the entire vampire army and King Aro's number one tried to kill you specifically."

Edward cried out as Carlisle began to stitch up the wound. Esme burst in and gave Carlisle a bottle.

"Here," she said, "this was all they had. It isn't military strength but it will work."

"Very good, thank you Esme. I need you to inject it into the main vein on his neck, here."

Carlisle pointed to the vein and Esme nodded. She filled a syringe with the amber liquid. She swabbed alcohol over the area and stuck the needle in.

"Edward right now an antidote is being injected and will spread through your body. This is a mild one as we don't have access to anything stronger so I'll give you another injection soon."

"Will he be okay?" Esme asked as she set the needle aside.

"Yes," Carlisle answered shortly.

"Forgive me...please..." Edward gasped through the pain.

"Rest. Doctors orders."

Edward nodded and Carlisle kept stitching while the pain knocked the teenager into unconsciousness again.

"Why would this happen? They were vampires so why?"

"Edward is the prince," Carlisle said quietly, "I saw pictures of him in the city and put it together when he was suddenly so against going back home."

"Then why was he hurt? It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe when I find out who did this I can figure it out. Unfortunately Edward won't be conscious again for a while."

"What do we do?"

Carlisle didn't answer her. He just walked upstairs and went into his room. Esme winced when she heard him muffle an angry scream with a pillow. That seemed to jerk Edward into consciousness again with a groan. Esme went to him and checked the stitches on his chest out of worry. She smoothed the hair back from his forehead and stroked his hair gently.

"Do you feel any better?"

"God kill me," Edward grunted.

Esme continued to smooth his hair gently while Carlisle vented his frustration. She hoped he would calm down soon so they could figure out what their next move would be. But then again they couldn't do anything until Edward was coherent enough to say who attacked him. But he was floating in an out of consciousness from pain and exhaustion and quite unable to say anything. His young face was tense and screamed pain. He was so tense.

"Is he asleep?" Carlisle asked quietly as he came down.

"Yes. He's in a lot of pain and his body is warm."

"The antidote is pushing through his body right now. He'll get another shot in an hour or so."

Carlisle draped a blanket over Edward and carried him upstairs to lay him on a comfortable bed. He sat beside him and Esme sat on the other side to continue comforting him.

"What are we going to do?"

"You are going to stay here. No doubt the vampires that took Bella are dangerous."

"If you think I'm going to sit by and wait for you two to come home you've got another thing coming."

They looked down when Edward groaned in pain again. "Bella..." he mumbled in his sleep.

"He loves her," Esme said quietly as she pet his hair gently.

"I was afraid of that."

---

Bella continued to struggle against Jane while she was dragged into a huge building.

"Let me go you psycho!"

"Sir, permission to kill her?"

"No, Jane," Caius chuckled, "she'll shut up soon enough, once she sees her new home."

Bella felt a bolt of fear surge through her spine. Was she going to be a vampire's slave like her mother had been? If that happened then would her father ever be able to find her. What about Edward? She felt a pain shoot through her heart at the thought of Edward. Did Carlisle find him in time? There was only one kind of bullet that could pierce a vampire's skin and she knew the outcome if he wasn't given medical attention.

"I think she's dwelling on the prince," Jane said, pulling her along.

"Let her dwell. It's not like she had a chance anyway. Get her set up, I'm going to go report."

Jane nodded and pulled Bella along. They went into a vast open room where the scent of sweat and blood filled their noses. Jane looked calm and didn't seem to notice it while Bella looked like she might vomit.

"Commander I have a new arrival for you."

The commander was a fierce looking woman with steel grey hair and a young face. She was bulky and looked incredibly powerful.

"Hm. Slim pickings then. This brat couldn't lift a single weight."

"Well you'll find out won't you," Jane smirked. She unlocked the cuffs on Bella's wrists and threw her at the woman. Bella tried to steady herself but the scary muscular woman grabbed her upper arm. "I know your type. Judging by your size and complexion you were pampered at home. Someone actually took the time to care for you. So tell me dear, was it your human mother? But since you smell of vampire perhaps your father was compassionate. What a strange situation. A few days ago this could have been problematic. So what's your name?"

"B-"

"I don't care! I don't care about anything you have to say about anything you maggot! From now on you are number one oh seven."

"But I...!"

Bella was cut off by a firm backhand and she was surprised to say the least.

"There are no buts in my warehouse. I am Commander Trann. I hate you and your kind. I can't wait until the Captain decides you no longer need to exist! Do you understand me 107?"

"Y-yes, m-ma'am."

Trann grabbed Bella's arm tight and dragged her up. She walked quickly with large powerful strides to a group of people who cowered away from her. Bella struggled to keep up but ended up stumbling, leading to her falling and scraping her knees on the concrete. She was thrown at them and Commander Trann left silently. Bella was immediately pulled aside and given a uniform to wear. It was a grey t-shirt with 107 stamped on the front and olive colored pants.

"Anyone who looks will get their ass kicked," a threatening looking man with the number two stamped on his chest called. Bella was surprised when a few others made a sort of shield as she was stripped. She yelped and the woman pulling her clothes off.

"Oh shut up. Let go of your modesty."

"Be nice Thirty-three," Two declared. "I remember you crying on your first day."

"Whatever."

The young man took over and pulled the shirt over Bella's head. "I'd ask your name to be polite, but we get in trouble for referring to anybody by name."

Bella hugged her arms and tried to get her body to cooperate with the man as he tugged her pants on.

"Lord she's gonna cry."

"Seriously, 33 I'm gonna slap you if you keep going like that."

"A-are there really 107 of us?"

"Nah, more like sixty."

"Then why am I 107?"

The man just smoothed her hair out and made sure the oversized pants were secure. His silence was enough of an answer. She realized that the stain on the arm of her t-shirt was blood and she was probably going to die here. She went away from the kind man and grabbed a sleeping bag from the same storage closet her clothes had come from. Two showed her where to put it and she sat on it in silence, hugging her knees. There was a coldness from her fellows that she didn't expect. The men among them were very strong and very well built. Number two had been bulging out of his top! Even the women were stronger looking! She was tiny and frail compared to them. She just wanted to curl up and cry but when a tear did roll down her cheek she could hear them mocking her for it.

Edward was probably dead. The odds of him being treated in time were slim. Her father was a talented physician for sure, but the poison was something he didn't deal with very often. Thinking of her dad was painful. Carlisle would sometimes tell her that before she came into his life he was lonely and sad.

Would he come for her? Could he do anything to get her out anyway? After all it was a royal order that all people like her be rounded up.

"So who are you thinking about?"

She glanced over and saw Two sitting with her. "My dad."

"Wow? A vamp caring for you?"

"Yeah. He found me when I was little."

"Let me guess," he said with a sad smile, "parents abandoned you?"

Bella nodded against her knees. "I don't know what he'll do without me."

"I'll tell you what he'll do," the woman known as Thirty-three said, standing before Bella with her hands on her hips. "He'll probably celebrate the fact he no longer has to worry about you."

"Thirty-three," Two growled in warning.

"No doubt he called the MPs on your ass."

Bella didn't bother to say anything. She just went back to silently crying into her knees but she heard Two getting angry.

"We get enough cruelty from them without having to bring it upon each other. Everybody is scared their first couple days no matter who they are so leave her alone."

Thirty-three rolled her eyes and walked off. "She'll be dead by the end of the week anyway," she called back.

The fact that Two didn't say anything back to her confirmed to Bella that it was probably true.

"She's right isn't she?"

"Listen, I don't want to be hard on you because it's your first night. But to survive you need to be tough."

He tilted her chin up.

"No more crying alright, I know you're scared but you have to be strong. They use fear and pain to break your spirit."

Bella nodded and he pat her head. She curled up with her thin pillow in the sleeping bag and curled up. She wanted to sleep but knew that wasn't going to be easy. Every time she closed her eyes she she saw Edward and Carlisle. She saw the sunny clearing just hours ago when they were eating lunch and laughing about her father finally admitting his love to Esme. It was so perfect then.

_"Sleep well princess."_

Hearing Carlisle's voice in her head did bring some comfort, but not nearly enough.

---

Edward got out of bed around one in the morning. His body ached and felt a bit stiff but he felt much better by comparison. He walked downstairs and Carlisle stood.

"How do you feel? Any pain?"

"My body aches," he mumbled, "but it's not serious."

"Your joints may be stiff. Try not to put too much pressure on them."

"Carlisle I'm the prince of the vampire nations."

"I figured."

"Why aren't you angry with me?" Edward asked.

"It's not like you knew all along."

Edward sat and Carlisle caught his brief wince.

"Caius, the Captain of the military, was the one that shot me. Jane and Alec were with him."

"Do you know them well?"

"Caius has been in my family's service since I was a small child," Edward growled, "my father trusted him. Alec was responsible for my injury before. I had fallen off that cliff and I think that was what gave me my amnesia."

"Plausible," Carlisle agreed. "At the speed in which you would fall combined with a heavy blow it's certainly more than enough to cause some damage. What we have to focus on now is Caius. Why would he shoot you?"

"That's the thing!" Edward cried. "I can't imagine why Caius would want me dead!"

"Does your uncle know?" Esme asked. "I heard at the pharmacy that the king is worried because you've gone missing."

"I don't know," Edward said quietly, "but this is the second time someone has tried to kill me."

"Where have they taken Bella? To use her against you or something?" Esme asked, feeling a bit of panic left over from the shock of the previous day.

"I'm willing to bet anything that..." Carlisle cut off when he heard a knock on the door. He got up and found one of his fellow doctors.

"Hey Jim, is something wrong? This isn't a very good time."

"The king put out an order about..."

"I know about that," Carlisle cut him off, "Bella was taken yesterday afternoon when we were out in the woods."

"Holy shit."

"Yes, Jim you have to take Claire into the country now. This will blow over, just keep her safe."

"Will they come after babies do you think?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Carlisle answered grimly.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get my daughter back if it kills me."

Carlisle was expecting his friend to tell him he was crazy to go against royal decree. But instead he put his hand on his shoulder and said, "you do what you have to do to bring that sweet girl back."

"I will," Carlisle promised. "Send Claire my love."

"I will," Jim promised. He hugged his friend briefly before leaving to collect his pregnant wife and leave town. Carlisle returned to the living room where Esme looked about ready to cry and Edward looked ridden with self inflicted guilt.

"Edward that'll be enough."

"I'll call my uncle and tell him where I am."

"Actually I think it would be better if we leave your location out of this. Let's look at this logically. Caius wants you dead and he is also trusted by your uncle. So, there is a possibility Caius would be sent to retrieve you."

"If I tell my uncle that he tried to kill me though then..." Edward trailed off. If Caius and Alec had both tried to do away with him, it was possible that most of the military officials were in on it. "We'll go there then. Once I talk to my uncle I can get Bella released. It's the best chance to getting her back without anyone getting hurt."

"Right," Carlisle agreed, "we'll bring you home and get Bella back."

Edward nodded and stood. "Let's get going."

"We need a plan," Carlisle said, pushing him back down, "and you need more rest."

"I feel fine! I'm just a bit stiff and all I need is to start moving around a bit."

"And how many medical degrees do you have to back up that diagnosis?" Carlisle asked. "Just as I thought, now park it."

Edward nodded and sunk back in the sofa. Carlisle went to the cabinet and got him the rest of the antidote. Edward held his arm out and received his last injection. Carlisle then began rotating his major joints in silence.

"Can you at least yell at me?" Edward asked as Carlisle rotated his ankle.

"What am I yelling at you for?"

"For not telling you right away when I remembered who I was? Caius came after me and that's how he found her! Carlisle this is entirely my fault."

"And what good would yelling at you do?" he asked standing up and working on Edward's shoulder joints. "Would it bring my daughter back?"

"Well...no..."

"Edward I am not going to yell at you because I am not that type of person. I'm not going to feed into the guilt you feel. You did nothing wrong."

"Then why do I feel like I did?" Edward asked.

"I can't answer that I'm afraid."

Edward nodded sadly. He had been in a warehouse once and it wasn't an experience he would wish on anyone. The last one he had been in was dirty, cramped and filled with half human vampires that were pushed to their breaking points. He knew that they were used against the humans because they were disposable. If they succeeded that was great, if they failed then it didn't matter, they weren't valuable anyway and they were easily replaceable. Edward didn't like thinking about just how the soldiers would replenish their supply of half humans though.

"We should get going," Esme said, "it'll take almost a day to get into the city."

Carlisle nodded. "I need to stop at the pharmacy first to pick up some supplies, just in case."

"In case of what?" Edward asked.

"In case you have a belated reaction to the poison and you begin to develop symptoms of aftershock."

"What kind of symptoms?" Edward asked warily.

"Paralysis at the worst. It's temporary but it is more likely to happen if we don't keep your joints well lubricated."

"Do what you have to do."

"See, Esme, if Bella was just that willing to accept treatment when she gets hurt or sick my life would be so much easier."

Esme just giggled. Bella had a habit of insisting that her injuries were nothing serious and her father was just being paranoid. She was scared of just how overprotective Carlisle was going to be now that this has happened.

Edward helped Carlisle load the car with medical supplies, bottles of blood and a few other assorted items for the trip despite Carlisle's complaints about it. He needed to keep occupied or his mind would drift back to Bella.

"It's very touching that you're so worried about her," Carlisle said as they all got into the car. "You two became friends so quickly."

Edward nodded silently. Of course Carlisle wouldn't know just how he felt about his daughter. He probably would never know. Edward sat the way Carlisle had instructed, with his legs across the seat slightly bent, but he just wanted to curl up. They stopped and Carlisle went into the pharmacy to get what they needed.

"How are you holding up?" Esme asked.

"I'm waiting for Carlisle to kill me for this."

"Please," Esme snorted, "Carlisle couldn't kill anyone even if he wanted to. Sweetie he doesn't blame you at all."

Edward folded his arms and sighed. "I just want to get there already. Talk to my uncle and figure out what the hell is going on."

Esme looked about ready to speak but Carlisle got into the car, changing her train of thought.

"Did you get everything?"

"Yes, here Edward, take this. It'll help your joints and ease more of the ache."

"Thank you," Edward mumbled, taking the pill and swallowing it down. "What's the plan?"

"We're taking you to the palace to see your uncle and hopefully he'll agree to release Bella. If not, well, I'll just have to crack a few skulls."

"Can you even do that?" Edward asked.

"You'd be surprised."

He just nodded and went back to looking at his lap. When he got home his uncle would listen to him and if he didn't, well Edward was going to be king soon anyway so Bella would be freed no matter what.

---

Bella was jerked awake by a loud horn blaring in the room. She sat up quickly and Two pulled her up. She stood in line with the others.

"Alright maggots rise and shine."

It was still dark out. A large digital clock up on the wall under a large window read three thirty. Bella yawned and had barely finished before a foot kicked her back onto the ground. There was no explanation for the attack, in fact the vampire that did it just kept talking about the day's agenda. She stood up and she saw that everyone was stripping.

"For those who are new to our little group," Trann said with a grin, "pits and crotch."

Bella was confused by that. She figured it had something to do with a bar of soap that was slapped into her hand. She looked up as a large pipe was lowered in front of them. Icy cold water sprayed out, soaking her instantly. She quickly washed herself and she winced when the water was replaced by hot air. When it stopped she was just mildly damp but shaking.

"Alright dress and line up."

There was a scramble to get dressed and get in line. Bella found herself being pushed around by various people so she was at the end of a line. She noticed that they were in numerical order. Well, as numerical as possible with so many missing. The drill began with jumping jacks. At first it wasn't so bad but after what Bella could only assume was the twentieth one, she began to feel breathless. After another twenty her legs were starting to ache. Around sixty her knees were giving out and she fell hard to the ground. She made to put herself up but a foot crashed down on her back, pushing her to the ground.

"What's the matter maggot? Can't keep up?"

She opened her mouth to speak but Trann just yanked her up.

"The answer is no. You can't keep up. You're a weak pathetic flea."

Trann threw her back down and Bella scrambled up to keep going.

"You all are being trained to destroy humans."

"Yes Ma'am!" They chorused as they jumped.

"If you succeed your lives will have some value."

Bella felt like her chest was going to explode and her arms were going to drop out of their joints.

"If you fail, well," Trann sneered and Bella could feel her standing right behind her. "Nobody will miss you. Alright maggots, partner up."

Bella was pulled aside by a girl with 101 stamped on her chest. She wondered what was going to happen when Trann yelled start and the girl punched her in the face. Bella fell back.

"Get up you wimp!"

Bella pushed herself up only to be kicked down again. She had no idea what in the world they were doing or why in the world she was being attacked by this girl.

"We're sparring," Two growled pulling Bella up and pushing her at 101.

Bella felt her throat go dry. She had never fought before. Carlisle hadn't let her take karate because he thought it was too violent! So all she could do was just try to dodge her attacks and hope that she could get some hits in on her own. It didn't work at all and when the exercise was over Bella was beaten, bloody and worn out.

"The winners of your little duels get a five minute break. The rest of you get into pushups."

Bella dropped to the ground and tried to push herself up but her arms were shaking so badly from fatigue that she fell back down.

---

Bella was sure she had never been so sore and tired in her life. She collapsed on her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. They had a short time to sleep and she was going to take full advantage of it. She could smell her own blood and it made her nauseous. Her body was burning and she was sure that she was going to die here. Nobody seemed to care enough to talk to her. It was like Two told her earlier. They didn't mean it to be cruel, they just didn't want to get attached to someone who was going to die.

Which in itself was actually kind of mean.

Edward's memory came to visit her again and make her stomach clench uncomfortably. She still had yet to find out if he was alive or dead but either way she wasn't going to be seeing him again. Even if he somehow managed to get her out of there, he was royalty. He wasn't going to want to be seen around a halfbreed like her. That thought alone was enough to make her heart ache. Even if she got out of this place alive she wasn't going to have her friend anymore. Edward had become so dear to her in such a short time that the idea of being without him was like thinking about her life without Carlisle or Esme. She wanted him to stay with her forever. She wanted years of laying in the meadow looking at the clouds and talking about whatever came to mind. She wanted to have kissed him and to have told him that she may be falling in love with him.

Thankfully sleep came to clear her thoughts. Unfortunately her nightmare was about him. Edward's slow death from poison while she could only watch helplessly. Then her heart was filled with a heavy sadness. She was alone.

When she opened her eyes she was alone in a sea of people that knew in order to survive they needed to shut their hearts. Her body was on fire and she felt sick. She felt a cold hand on her back and she was yanked up.

"Personal training by orders of the Captain."

Bella blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she was dragged into a smaller room. She was thrown to the floor at Caius's feet.

"This is the one, sir," Caius said.

"Ug, I can't believe my nephew would sink to such lengths."

Bella wobbled up and Aro kicked her back down. "So tell me why did you keep my nephew for so long?"

"He had temporary amnesia. He didn't know who he was."

"Surely you would have recognized the prince," Aro reminded her.

"Actually, no. I had never seen him before."

Aro smirked. "You were there when he died yes?"

Bella bit her lip and lowered her head. She ended up breaking the skin when Caius struck her and she fell. She put her hand to her lips and felt warm blood.

"I can hear it now," Aro sighed, "Prince Edward killed by a half breed bitch."

"But I didn't! It was him!"

"How was it done?" Aro asked.

"SV," Caius smirked. "He fell off of a cliff due to the shock."

"How tragic," Aro sighed. "Edward was so young and full of life. Shame he died so young."

"I'll alert the media," Caius said.

"The people will want to see her executed," Aro said. "The humans sent her no doubt."

"I've never even been to the human's city."

"Caius I want her brought to the palace. Send out news immediately that Prince Edward has been assassinated by a half human scout while he was on his way back home. She has confessed to her crimes and will be executed at dawn."

"Yes sir," Caius said with a bow.

"W-what?! You can't be serious! He killed Edward!" Bella cried, struggling against Caius's grip.

Aro sighed and put on his best sad face. Caius dragged Bella along with them outside. There were photographers waiting. Aro walked to them and immediately pictures were being snapped and people were asking questions.

"Your Majesty, any word on when your nephew will return to take his place as king?!"

"I can't take any questions right now," Aro said sadly, pushing by them. They turned to Caius who was still holding to the struggling girl.

"It is my sad duty to report the tragic death of Prince Edward the second."

There was a collective gasp and reporters nearly tripped over themselves to get the scoop. Bella struggled against Caius but she may as well have been struggling against a statue as he didn't flinch once.

"This girl was sent by the humans and assassinated the young prince with a Serum Vessel while he was making his return."

There was massive booing and Bella ducked as a stone flew over her head.

"I DIDN'T DO IT! YOU DID! I SAW YOU!"

"Silence scum!" Caius growled, punching her in the stomach making her double over in pain. "She will be executed for her crimes at the palace tomorrow at dawn."

There was a wild cheer and Bella felt her body go cold. Caius dragged her into a car and ordered the driver to floor the gas.

"We both know you killed him," Bella mumbled as they drove.

"And who is going to believe you?" Caius asked. "I'm the Captain of the army and you are a smear on the face of the world. Besides, you should be thanking me."

Bella clenched her fists and Caius laughed at her.

"I'm sending you to your sweet prince."

"How could you do that to him?!" Bella cried. "He was going to be your king!"

"I like our current king," Caius shrugged. "Besides at least you aren't rotting away in that warehouse. I saw your performance today. You would have been killed soon enough."

Bella clenched her fists tighter and winced when it hurt. She looked at her hand and saw small crescent shaped marks from her nails. She was going to die for Edward's assassination. It was a strange feeling to come to grips to. She had been aware of the possibility but it was hard to accept knowing how dedicated her father was to her safety. She had hoped he would be able to get her out.

But now she was going to be executed for sure.

"So do you have a family I should invite?" Caius teased. "A loving human parent perhaps?"

Bella didn't answer. Caius grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Well? Who is it you're mourning? Is it Edward? Or are you just scared."

"Did you kill his parents too?"

"Oh no," Caius chuckled, "our queen died in childbirth. Shame. She was attractive."

The driver, which turned out to be Jane, rolled her eyes.

"His late majesty was weak. He believed in peaceful means to an end. Unfortunately Edward inherited his soft heart. Aro is a wonderful king. A true king."

Bella looked out the window. Edward hadn't wanted to be king. The hesitation was clear in his eyes and he seemed more determined than ever to stay with her in Rosebud. Or really, to stay with her period. The thought made her heart thump painfully against her chest. He had wanted to stay with her which meant he had strong feelings for her. She had certainly fallen quickly for him but would he really feel the same? Or rather had he?

"Thinking about your precious Edward?" Caius teased.

Bella said nothing. They pulled up to a magnificent white marble palace. It looked like something otherworldly in it's beauty. She could picture Edward running through the halls as a child. Caius pulled her from the car where paparazzi were snapping pictures. He gave her arm an angry yank and she stumbled, giving them a victorious shot of their brave military Captain bringing in the girl who was, now, the most hated person in the kingdom.

TBC

I wanted to get this out before Christmas as a sort of present. Yay. I'm so not in the spirit though which blows. I find myself annoyed by the commercialism. Ah well whatever.


	6. Chapter 6

DC: I don't own it

Thanks to my reviewers!

I hope everyone had a happy holiday!

Chapter 6,

Carlisle skidded to a stop in front of a road block. He honked angrily and the driver in front of him gave him a rude gesture. Carlisle growled and returned it making Esme gasp and slap his arm.

"Don't be rude."

Carlisle shot her a glare and it was so intense and so sudden it made Edward shrink back in his seat. Esme, however, returned it.

"I know you're angry but there is no need to instigate trouble."

Carlisle growled and swerved around the car only to come to another road block.

"What in the world is going on?" Edward asked.

"I haven't seen a crowd this big since you were born," Carlisle said.

"Oh and the funerals," Esme added. "It must be a big royal event."

"There's no way my uncle knew I was coming home. It's not his birthday and it's not the coronation, what with me not being home."

"Let's avoid distractions," Carlisle advised, "Edward hood up."

Edward nodded and pulled his hood up. Carlisle squeezed his car into an empty space and Edward got out quickly.

"If Edward is seen the paparazzi could be a problem. Let's all just make our way to the palace that way if we get separated we know where to meet. Cell phones on?"

Esme and Edward both nodded. Edward put on sun glasses that belonged to Esme, taking a quick shot to his manhood as they were clearly feminine. Esme hugged him tight and kissed him on the cheek.

"Be safe Edward. We don't want you getting trampled by fan girls."

Edward laughed dryly and they took off into the congested city. Edward was surprised by the look of pain on their faces. His heart filled with dread. His uncle had passed. That was why the black flags were waving.

"I can't wait until that half human scum gets what's coming to her."

Edward looked back but saw Carlisle and Esme had been separated from him.

"I just can't believe it. He was like the hottest prince of all time!"

Edward turned his head so quickly he got whiplash. There was a gaggle of teenage girls wearing black shirts with his picture on it.

"LOOK! THE SUN!" They began to cheer happily.

"What's happening with the sun?" he asked.

"What are you stupid kid? Prince Edward's assassin is being executed! Justice! Ignorant punk!"

He was pushed back by the man talking and he took to a run, pushing by vampires to get to the grand balcony. He wondered just what he was going to do when he got there. Would he rip his disguise off and show that he was, in fact, alive? Yeah, that seemed noble. Why let an innocent person die because of him?

Unless Caius was being punished for his crimes. Edward found that thought to be a pretty good reason to drag his feet. It would all just depend on who he saw on the chopping block. If it was the Captain...well...karma was a bitch after all.

---

"Are you ready to pay for the crimes you committed against my nephew?" Aro asked as Bella was brought in.

"You can't possibly believe that I did this."

Aro shrugged. "They do and that's all that matters."

Bella narrowed her eyes and took a step back from him. "But you know I didn't do it! Caius did!"

"Of course he did," Aro said, applying makeup to make himself look pale with worry. "I was hoping he would pin it on a human and I would get his head out of the deal but this is better. His sweet wannabe girlfriend getting her head lobbed off. It'll increase hatred towards the humans and filth like you. Win win dear."

Bella looked horrified and took another few steps away from him. He looked like such a madman. His eyes were black and he looked like he was an uncle who was deeply grieving over his nephew. Well he would have if he didn't have the delighted grin giving his eyes a demented twinkle.

"So tell me," Aro said grabbing her wrists and pulling her closer, "did you love him? Did you ever lay beside his pasty twiggy body and whisper sweet nothings after being a pity fuck? Or did you two clutch each other tight and promise that you would be BFF's forever and ever?"

"Don't patronize me you pompous asshole. Edward is a million times the man you are. Let me guess you killed your brother to. That seems perfectly cliche for someone like you."

"Ah, I wish I had your creative imagination when he was alive. Edward was always a fool who was trying to be a good king. Believe me, sweetie, I wish I had thought of killing him. I wish Elizabeth had survived long enough to have my child because oh my god she was a fox."

"You're disgusting," Bella growled.

"Oh," Aro gasped, jumping back and clasping his hands before his lips, "oh the half human slut thinks I'm disgusting! Oh how am I going to get over this? Do you mean it? Am I disgusting? Your opinion means oh so much to me."

Bella sat on a marble bench and buried her face in her hands. She could see the sky lightening and the people were cheering. Aro walked to the balcony and the roar grew.

"My beloved citizens I wish we could gather for the joyous coronation of my precious nephew. Sadly he was taken from us. But for what? Anger from the humans."

Bella tried not to cry. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to give them the pleasure of seeing her tears! Unfortunately they were dribbling down her cheeks as visions of Carlisle, Edward and Esme went through her head. She found herself, surprisingly, remembering her mother. The cruel woman who gave her nothing but hatred and abuse. Carlisle's kindness made it all vanish. Now that she was facing death, however, she felt the familiar emptiness that her life began with. Edward was long gone and her father was probably just now learning of her execution and well out of range to help her.

"I can only promise two things, dear citizens, to lay your Prince's, my nephew's soul to rest. I will give you the head of the deranged lowlife half human scum that preyed upon Edward when he was weak from infection, and I can give you the heads of all the human monsters responsible for sending her!"

Caius grabbed Bella's arm roughly and yanked her up. "You and Edward can spend an eternity together," he sneered.

Bella couldn't speak. Her voice had gone and she couldn't seem to stop the tears. Carlisle's voice was in her head, singing a soft lullaby as he rocked her in his safe and loving arms. She was brought into the daylight and it blinded her. A sunny day that caused the vampires to shimmer like divine creatures sent from the heavens. How ironic. Her own skin glowed faintly and made a stark contrast to Caius's.

The crowd burst into cheers and she could her vulgar phrases being shouted ranging from die bitch to, well, Bella couldn't even stomach those ones. She was thrown to Jane and Alec who held her arms. Aro was presented with a jeweled sword.

"This sword has been in my family for generations. The very sword my Edward would have held on the day he became king if you hadn't stolen his life."

Bella looked at the angry mob, searching in vain for her small but loving family. She could have sworn she heard someone call her name. She could hear gasping in the crowd but was far too distracted by the feel of the cold blade against the back of her neck.

"CITIZENS! I GIVE YOU HER BLOOD SO THAT PRINCE EDWARD MAY REST IN PEACE!"

Bella expected darkness, but instead saw blue cotton in warm arms.

---

"I can only promise two things, dear citizens, to lay your Prince's, my nephew's soul to rest. I will give you the head of the deranged lowlife half human scum..."

Edward halted when he heard the words. He was touched that his uncle was so broken up about his death and would have liked to have seen Caius about to lose his head but the last words made him freeze. Half human. Had they really just plucked a random person from the warehouse? Edward wondered if he was so lucky. Either way it didn't matter. His almost killer wasn't going to be paying for their crimes so there was no point in waiting.

"...that preyed upon Edward when he was weak from infection, and I can give you the heads of all the human monsters responsible for sending her!"

Weak from infection?! Edward wondered why in the world his uncle said he was sick instead of missing. Surely he would have been found sooner if that message had gone out. And what about the last part. His body went cold and he had a hunting feeling who was paying for Caius's act. Edward threw the glasses off and started moving faster. He saw the magenta curtains open and Caius came out with the condemned. He saw Bella's tear stained cheeks. He screamed her name but his voice was drowned out by a roaring crowd. He felt his hood fall back and the wind in his hair. Aro was babbling about his father's sword. He pushed by people who were doing double takes but the crowd was getting so much thicker as they stood shoulder to shoulder. The angriest seemed to be in front, pushing against palace guards to get at the girl they believed assassinated their prince.

Edward grabbed someone's shoulders and pushed himself up. He could careless who he was trampling at that moment. Aro was positioning his sword and about to declare the execution.

"ARO! STOP!"

His voice seemed to drown in the sounds of the enthusiastic mob. He landed on a guard's shoulders and kicked off. He grabbed the marble balcony and pulled himself up as Aro swung the sword back. He propelled forward and curled his arms around Bella's small body and tucked her against his chest. He ducked and the sword barely missed him.

The crowd was screaming in protest when they didn't see Bella's head go flying. Bella was frozen and Edward was holding her tight in a crouch. Aro turned angrily and he looked honestly surprised to see his nephew.

"Bella! Bella! Say something! Let me know you're okay."

Bella looked at him slowly. She reached up and touched his face. "E-Edward?"

"Yeah. Your dad fixed me up perfectly."

"C-cutting it k-kinda close there."

"Sorry."

Edward stood up and faced his uncle.

"Edward?! You're alive?!"

"Yeah, imagine that," Edward growled. He held Bella tight, afraid of what would happen if she was put down.

"How did you survive?" Aro asked, coming to him and cupping his face in his hands. "You survived an SV to the chest!"

"Why don't you ask Caius about that," Edward growled. "Aro he tried to kill me."

"Edward he knows," Bella said, "he planned it."

Edward looked from Bella to his uncle. "W-what?"

"Edward I would never endanger your life. I have been so worried about you."

"Worried enough to say I was away on sick leave?" Edward asked angrily. "If you were so worried why didn't you send out a search party for me?! Why didn't you put out an alert?! When you put out the order to arrest all half humans the town I was in found out in two days!"

"Edward, please be sensible..."

Edward shook his head no and stepped away from his uncle with Bella safe in his arms. Something in Aro's eyes was amiss. He seemed annoyed and a bit angry. There wasn't any relief that his nephew was alive.

"I can't believe this," Edward cried as his back bumped against the marble rail of the balcony. "You had Caius...in the worst possible...YOU WANTED ME DEAD!"

There was a confused murmur in the crowd below. Edward held Bella tighter and she hung onto him. With her in his arms.

"Edward I would never! I can't believe you would think I wanted you dead!" Aro cried almost hysterically. "You're my nephew! Do you have any idea how worried I've been!"

Edward could see Caius appear on the balcony again and knew something was up. He had a dark and sinister look in his eyes.

"Captain," Aro called, "explain why Prince Edward believes you tried to kill him."

"Some of my troops have gone rogue," Caius said loudly and clearly. Edward knew something was up as they most certainly wanted to be heard by at least some of the vampires in the crowd. "I have my finest men out to get them."

"Excellent," Aro said. "Citizens, please remain calm. This threat will be resolved as soon as possible."

Edward was in complete shock. His uncle was dismissing this as rogue soldiers who were going to kill him! He held tight to Bella and looked at her. She looked scared but mostly traumatized. He figured the experience had been rough but he really hoped she could give him some input. But no, she was quite mute and staring blankly at his chest.

"Hold on tight," he muttered before jumping off of the balcony.

"EDWARD! GET BACK HERE!" Aro screamed. Caius charged past him and leapt off of the balcony after the teenager. "CAIUS BRING HIM BACK!"

"With pleasure," Caius growled to himself as he chased after the pair.

"My apologies," he muttered as he jumped back onto someone's shoulders and proceeded to once again literally step on his subjects. But they were vampires they could handle it. Some of them actually seemed to anticipate his moves and either tried to snag him for the Captain they believed was out to protect him, or boost him to the next one.

It was quite a difficult task. Edward tried to focus on who he was stepping on and if they were going to trip him up while taking a look out for Carlisle.

"EDWARD!"

He heard Carlisle's voice slightly to the west so he changed positions and jumped down as the crowd was thinner. He ducked around people, holding Bella securely and finally he crashed into the doctor.

"We gotta go, they want to kill me!"

Carlisle grabbed his arm and pushed through the remainder of the crowd. They ran through the city streets trying to get to the car. That plan was immediately scrapped when Carlisle realized they were more or less boxed in by others and escaping would be much more difficult. So they ducked into an empty store and hid out in the back.

"Let me see her," Carlisle said.

Edward nodded and set Bella down. Carlisle took her and began checking for injuries that needed immediate care. She was fine overall. Just bruised and cut. What he was more worried about was her mental health.

"Will she be okay?" Esme asked.

"Yes. She's just in shock right now. Listen I want you and Bella to get out of town. I'll stay with Edward and help him. He's much more high profile than she is."

"Carlisle we can't split up. They'll hurt her if the get her or throw her back in the warehouse at least."

Bella shuddered when she heard Edward mention the warehouse. Carlisle hugged her and kissed her forehead. "It's alright sweetheart, we've got you."

"How do you fight an army?" Edward asked. "I mean going to Aro won't do anything. He's the one trying to kill me! When they succeed it'll be labeled as treason by the army!"

Carlisle put his arm around Edward's shoulders and pulled him in for a gentle hug as he started to get a bit hysterical. It seemed that the reality that someone was trying to kill him, or rather several someones, for no adequately explained reason had fully sunken in and now he was reacting to it the way any scared teenager would.

Edward's mind was reeling. He grabbed Bella's hand and held it tight. He felt Esme's gentle hand petting his hair and found it soothing. He just had to take a few deep breaths, calm down and think of a plan.

"Carlisle you go with Bella and Esme. I can handle myself."

"I'm not leaving you here alone, Edward, we'll just figure something out, that's all."

They heard the door opening and everybody jumped. Edward leapt to his feet and a soldier came into the back store room. He tensed when he saw it was Marcus. He was just one step below Caius in military rank and almost as deadly. Edward knew him to be just as cunning as Caius but not quite as dark.

"Prince Edward please stay calm. I am not here to hurt you."

"How can I believe you?" Edward demanded. Marcus took out his gun and put it aside. He stepped forward and Edward softened a bit.

"Caius has given an order to his elite soldiers to kill you upon sight. He has promised that the soldier will not be punished. Personally I think that's a load of shit. As you saw, your subjects will demand the head of anyone that kills you."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because unlike some members of the military I am actually loyal to the royal family. With all due respect, highness, can we spare the questions and keep focus?" Marcus demanded angrily.

"Considering my uncle and the Captain are trying to kill me I have a good reason to be suspicious!"

Marcus sighed. "This won't end nicely. I expect by now SVs have been rationed out. I have a group of loyal soldiers waiting to keep you safe and take down the traitors. You may not believe it, but we have more loyalists than traitors."

"I'm going to chose not to believe it."

"Suit yourself. Now come with me."

"But..."

"We'll be okay Edward," Carlisle promised. "I'll get Bella home safe."

He nodded and Carlisle gave him a brief hug. Bella silently came up to him and he took her hands.

"I'll come back to you."

She nodded and he hugged her.

"Stay safe," he whispered, "I couldn't stand it if I lost you."

Bella hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek. He nodded and gave Esme a brief hug before leaving with Marcus. Carlisle held Bella's hand tight and led them both out of the store.

"Stay close to me," Carlisle said to both Esme and Bella. His daughter responded by holding his hand tighter. Esme pulled her hoodie over Bella and put the hood up. She kissed Bella's forehead and rubbed her back gently as they walked.

"Carlisle how long will this last?" Esme asked quietly.

"Once the shock wears off I think. Being here isn't helping at all. Come on sweetie, are we walking too fast?"

Bella nodded once and her vampires slowed down a bit. Her legs were still numb from the day before and she honestly felt like a good faint may be in order.

"You can sleep on the way home," Carlisle promised, seeing that her walk was starting to slow into a weary shuffle. "We'll get you some tylenol too."

Bella smiled a bit at that thought. Her body was still aching from boot camp. Carlisle gripped her hand tight when they passed a military official. He didn't seem to notice them or even care. Carlisle tensed when they passed. There was no way of telling if he was one of the soldiers trying to kill Edward or one of the loyalists. He put his arm around Bella's shoulders and drew her closer. The officer noticed that but he dismissed it. Carlisle saw that many vampire parents were holding their children closer now that there was a threat of treason in the military.

"I hate the city," Carlisle grumbled as they reached a traffic light and waited. He felt Bella trembling and he looked over at her.

"Are you okay?"

Bella shook her head no. Carlisle went into the gas station nearby and bought a bottle of blood.

"Can I get it warmed too?" he asked as he payed.

"Yeah, sure," the teenager behind the counter shrugged. She popped it in the microwave and put it on for twenty seconds. She popped it out when the timer went off and handed it to Carlisle.

"Thanks," he said with a nod. He handed Bella the bottle of blood and she drank it slowly. They passed another officer and Carlisle could hear muffled talking over the radio. He felt a surge of worry for Edward.

---

Edward didn't really question Marcus, even though he dearly wanted to, while he changed into new clothes. He wore a grey hoodie with a meaningless logo on the chest. He changed into new jeans and even new shoes. He felt it was overkill, but Marcus wanted every bit of his clothes changed.

"Sir, the mission was successful," a young woman said.

"Thank you Kate," Marcus said taking the case she offered him. "Now Edward I know you know how to fight and to defend yourself. All of the loyalists have marked themselves with a discrete uniform change that would be meaningless to anyone else."

"What is that mark?" Edward asked.

"A pin that looks like this on the chest just above the name of the officer."

Marcus showed Edward the pin, a miniature version of the royal family crest. Edward looked at Marcus and nodded.

"Good. Now keep this with you," Marcus ordered giving him a loaded hand gun. "They have been loaded with PVs."

"I can't remember those."

"It's a lesser poison used by police officers that moves several times slower than the serum the humans use and can be treated by simpler antidotes. Try not to hit your head again."

Edward gave him a dry look and tucked the gun in his pocket. Marcus took out another clip and handed it to him.

"Those are SV's. Most of the traitors aren't dangerous and you can escape them with no problem. They are the most hesitant ones that are afraid to go against Caius but don't want to die. However you have to watch out for the elite circle. Jane, Alec, Felix, Demitri and of course, Caius. Jane and Caius are the most deadly. Caius because he has the most to lose and Jane just doesn't like you. They will kill you on sight and you have to be ready for them. Shoot to kill."

Edward felt a little cold. Marcus handed him another hand gun to use and loaded it with SV bullets. He didn't know if he was ready to kill anyone! He was still trying to swallow the notion that someone was trying to kill him! Or rather an army that was supposed to be, more or less, under his control.

"Don't panic," Marcus said, putting his hand on Edward's shoulder, "I won't let anyone hurt you. You only have to worry about shooting if you are alone. I don't want you to kill unless you have to."

"I've never shot anyone in my life! Marcus I can't!"

"Yes, you can. You're braver than you think."

Edward nodded and closed his eyes to calm himself down.

"When we find Caius we'll figure out why he's put out this order and what the king has to do with it."

Edward nodded numbly. He hoped and prayed that Aro had nothing to do with this. His memory cruelly showed a Christmas morning where he was sitting in his uncle's lap working a simple ring puzzle. His tiny hands were being shadowed by bigger ones while his father playfully teased them about getting stumped. There was no way that man was behind this. His uncle loved him for sure.

"When we get Caius out of the way things will get better."

Edward just nodded again. He felt the familiar shock cross over him. He left with Marcus silently to a safe haven where, Marcus had assured him, he would be kept safe from Caius and his men.

They got into a military car and took off. Edward watched the city go by outside with a heavy heart. How many of the vampires they passed were hoping for his survival but afraid to go against the military?

"This would be a good time for the humans to attack," Edward sighed, "a nice distraction."

Marcus gave a dry chuckle. "Yes I agree that would be quite the distraction. But luckily for us the humans aren't that smart."

"Why are we even fighting them? I mean really."

"Because they killed one of our royals, you know that."

Edward did know that. He remembered hearing stories about it. The war had started before he was born after all and that was all he had.

_"If my brother was strong enough to do what needed to be done, I'm sure the war would be over," Aro sighed as he walked through the halls with his father and little Edward._

_"Now, now Aro, Edward is doing a fine job."_

_"Poppy what is war?" Edward asked. His grandfather lifted him up and patted his head._

_"Nevermind yourself with that now, munchkin, you're still young. As for you, Aro, give your brother some slack. The crown he wears is heavier than you know."_

_Aro growled something about never given the chance to prove himself but the older vampire ignored it. _

_"Besides, I don't want you to talk like that around your nephew. He's still young."_

_"Poppy I'm already four! I'm not that young!"_

_The former king laughed and hugged his grandson. "You are to me. I'm almost two hundred!"_

_"Will I live to be that old?"_

_"If you drink your blood and do as your parents say."_

_Edward wrinkled his nose. "But mommy isn't fair."_

_"She's your mother," he chuckled, "she isn't supposed to be fair. But just you wait, Edward, she'll raise you up to be a good man like your father."_

_Edward grinned and his grandfather gave him a whiskery kiss._

"Highness we're stopping to gather our informant.

Edward nodded and went back to gazing out the window, thinking about his late grandfather and times gone by. He wondered what it was that Aro thought his father needed to do to be a good king. He also wondered why almost all of the memories of his grandfather were memories of being sheltered. He used to wonder if his Poppy's motto was "when you're older". The king had always been hardest on the eldest of his two boys. After all, if not for an infection taking the rightful king, Aro would have lived his life as a consult at best. Edward always wondered if there was some resentment from his uncle towards his father.

"It's just as we suspected," a young woman said after the clambered in the car. "We have strong evidence pointing to Caius's motivation."

"And that is?" Marcus asked, coming to a stop at a light.

"He had orders from the king," the woman said sadly.

"Thank you Didyme," Marcus said with a smile.

Edward felt his body turn icy and his stomach plummeted into his feet and then up into his throat. Orders from the king. His uncle wanted him dead. Marcus was talking plans with Didyme. They sounded long term now seeing as the king was involved. Edward gripped the handle on the door and clenched his teeth. He had wanted it to be a lie. He had wanted Bella to be completely mistaken. His uncle wasn't responsible for this, it was Caius and his treason.

"HIGHNESS! STOP!" Marcus yelled as Edward pushed the door open and took off running.

Edward kept his eyes on the castle he had called home. The castle where his parents died and where his uncle was plotting his death. He could hear Marcus and Didyme following him, trying to stop him from being so reckless. He ran by vampires, pushing them out of his way if he needed to. As he ran by the park he saw memories of himself as a small child enjoying a picnic with his beloved family. He ran by the massive cathedral where the funerals for his Poppy, father and mother were held. Behind it their bodies laid with the other royal members. He knew there was also a small one for his baby brother between his parents. He remembered standing at his father's fresh grave. His uncle was so gentle then. Aro held his nephew's shoulders as he cried for his beloved parents.

Edward shook his head of the memories. He reached the palace and felt the two guns Marcus gave him against his thighs. He saw pins on some of the guards and bypassed them. If he had been paying attention he would have heard struggles in the distance between loyalists and traitors. His footsteps echoed on the marble floors and rung in his ears.

"ARO!" He screamed as he ran into the throne room. The magnificent room was empty. He walked down the long red carpet to the elevated platform that held the two seats. He remembered his parents sitting upon them and how he used to dream of his own kingship.

"It was reckless for you to come here," Caius said from behind him.

Edward tucked his hands in the big pocket of his hoodie. He could feel the cold metal and his hand curled around it.

"This is my home," he said quietly, "and in that home the only family I have left plans to have me murdered."

"Nothing personal."

Edward turned quickly, drew the gun and fired directly into his chest. "You tried to kill me," he growled as Caius fell to his knees in shock, "it's personal."

He watched the head of the powerful military collapse in shock. Edward walked out of the room into the back hall. This was the hall that wasn't seen by many members of the public. Instead of grand portraits there were photographs. Edward knew at one time he had a habit of abandoning toys there when he got bored with them. Off to the side was a grand family room with a warm fire and a soft plush rug. Edward went into it and sat on the the burgundy rug. The room smelled like cologne. Edward had mistakenly broken a bottle on Christmas when he was playing with his ball and it got away from him. The jar cracked and spilled on the rug. He would lay on the rug for hours after his father died, trying to remember his scent. He was curled up on it now.

"Dad I don't know what to do," he mumbled against the carpet.

His phone buzzed and he looked at it. He saw Carlisle's name and felt a bit of relief.

"Aro wants to kill me," he said as a greeting.

"Where are you?"

"The castle. I killed Caius."

"Oh Edward why in the world are you there?!" Carlisle demanded in a pained voice. "Where is Marcus?"

"I ran off. I'm not going to run forever. This is my kingdom and I won't let Aro take it like this."

Carlisle sighed. "Promise you'll be safe? Call me the moment you can."

"I promise. Take care of Bella."

"I will," Carlisle promised. "Take care and please, please use your head."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

He hung up and tucked the phone back in his pocket. He stood and looked at the photographs of his parents on the mantel. He wasn't going to die like this. Not over a throne. He walked out of the room and down to the end of the hall to the green room. It had been his mother's favorite room in the entire palace. It was a magnificent glass room that enclosed a beautiful garden. All different kinds of plants grew there. A pathway of cobblestone wove around the room. In the center of it all was a nest of blue roses that had been specially developed for the queen. They had been a gift from her husband. Elizabeth had told him one day, while she was tending to them, that it was a gift to repay her for giving him his most precious treasure.

_"What was that mommy?" Edward chirped as he held his little watering can._

_Elizabeth smiled and touched a blossom with one delicate hand. "You, of course."_

_"Me? I'm not a treasure, mommy, I'm a boy."_

_She smiled and kissed his forehead. "You're our treasure," she murmured, "your father wanted you more than anything."_

Edward touched the rose softly with a shaking hand. "So are you going to shoot me in the back?"

"It's nothing personal."

Edward turned around angrily. "Not personal?! Aro you're my uncle and you want me dead! This couldn't _be_ anymore personal!"

"I'm doing what the kingdom needs. You'll fail as a king and as a result the humans will win the war and kill us all. Your father was weak and so are you."

"My father wasn't weak," Edward growled, "more soldiers have died on your watch than his!"

"Admit it, you want to rot in that tiny town with that halfbreed whore."

"So what you're saying is that if I gave you my throne you wouldn't kill me?"

"I was really hoping I could have framed the humans for it. But I'll take what I can get."

"Aro I'm your nephew," Edward said quietly. His voice was shaking and he didn't know if it was from pain or rage. "You were there when I was born and you were there all my life! When did you decide that the crown was more important to you than I was?!"

"If it's any consolation, you're my favorite nephew."

"I'M YOUR ONLY GODDAMNED NEPHEW!" Edward screamed. "YOU PROMISED MY FATHER YOU'D HELP ME NOT KILL ME!"

"Don't be so dramatic," Aro groaned, "Edward I will not surrender the crown to you."

"It's not your crown," Edward growled, "it was my father's and now it's mine."

"Do you even have the balls to take it from me?" Aro asked, folding his arms.

"If I did give you the crown would you even let me live?"

"I'm sorry Edward but no," he answered shaking his head. "I know you'll seek revenge."

Edward gripped the handle of the gun in his pocket.

"Caius is on his way to kill you so I don't have to. Would that ease your nerves?"

Edward walked up to his uncle. "You're disgusting. You won't even do it yourself and claim that it isn't personal."

"And you'll just taking it. You're a whining little brat who spends most of his days sulking. You're wrong for this kingdom and as it's king, it's my duty to get rid of you."

"You're my uncle," Edward said quietly, "and even though you tried to kill me..."

Aro stiffened as Edward put the barrel of the gun against his chest.

"I won't make you suffer."

A bang echoed through the room and Aro fell back. Blood oozed from the open wound where his heart was. Edward could see bits of poison and capsule in the blood. He fired another shot to inject more poison. He looked up as Marcus and other military officers came in.

"Edward! Oh thank goodness!"

Edward dropped the gun and walked numbly towards them.

"We found Caius in the throne room. The media has been alerted of the orders and by now I suspect your adoring subjects will be wanting to know if you're alive or not."

"Why does word spread so fast here?" Edward asked.

"We're vampires," Marcus answered with a slight smile, "we move fast. Right now the Supreme Judges are deliberating appropriate punishments. However, it seems you decided it."

"He was going to kill me. Self defense."

Marcus nodded. "We'll get this cleaned up."

"Ed...ward..."

Edward made to look back but didn't. He didn't want to see his uncle ever again. He walked down the hall and up a winding staircase to his bedroom. He fell onto his bed and looked sadly at the picture of his parents. His coronation would proceed as planned and he would begin his reign as king. He saw his crown resting on his dresser. It wasn't quite as magnificent as his father's had been. He stood up and grabbed it. It was smaller than the one he would wear. He looked at his reflection in the mirror.

The sun was beginning to set. So much had happened in one day. Bella almost died, he almost died and he killed two people, one of which was the man who had been a major part of his life especially after the death of his father. He picked up the phone and dialed Carlisle's number. He felt a warm rush through his body when Bella's soft voice answered.

"Edward? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he answered with a soft smile, "how do you feel?"

"I miss you."

"Listen, Bella, can I see you soon? Can you guys come here?"

"Yeah, dad's giving me an okay nod. He's worried about you. Esme too. Get some sleep, we'll be there in a few hours."

"You too," Edward advised, "I'll let the guards know you're on the way. Call me when you get here."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Edward hung up and put his training crown back down and curled up on his bed. He ended up grabbing the blanket and going down to the family room. He curled up on the rug and drifted off to sleep.

TBC

I'm surprised it only took me two tries to write this chapter! Seeing as I usually have to make three or four attempts at chapters like this I'm happy! It also helped that I'm snowed in. My street still hasn't been plowed and I have yet to dig out my car. It is funny to see my puppy try to get through the snow to do his business though. :)


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